- It' s brown and only one or two inches long, sweet and buttery, and Texans wouldn't dream of having a holiday without them. We're talking about the Texas Pecan. After all, the pecan tree is the state tree of Texas, so the pecan holds a reverent place in the hearts of it's many citizens. Texas is the second leading producer of pecans in the nation just behind Georgia. However, with the recent destruction of an estimated 20 percent of the trees in Georgian orchards (as a result of the past two years hurricane seasons), the Texas pecan crop is more important to nation’s consumers than ever before. The U.S. produces more than 80% of the world's pecan crop, which is approximately 324 million pounds a year. Now that's alot of pecan pies! Actually the pecan is used for many great recipes and while our Native American ancestors knew they tasted good, modern science has proven the pecan to be a golden nutritional nugget. Recent studies have shown the pecan to be a great defense against some of our modern ailments, like lowering high cholesterol levels and even reversing type II diabetes in women. Not to mention being a great antioxidant and adding trace minerals back into our "modern" diets. That does not hold true however for the slice of traditional Texas pecan pie....ouch! Save the pie for the holidays and snack on the pecans all year. That way you can have your pie and your good health to! Our Native American forefathers must have had some idea how important these nuts could be for the survival of their tribes. The word "pecan" comes from the Algonquin word meaning "a tough nut to crack", and most of our native pecan species are named for Native American Indian Tribes, including Cheyenne, Mohawk, Sioux, Choctaw and Shawnee.  There are over 1,000 improved varieties (sometimes called papershell pecans) of pecans, in addition to the native pecans which grow along almost every river in Texas. While wild native trees are abundant across the state, producing fine pecans for retail is a costly and long process. A pecan tree will begin producing a few pecans by the time it is 4 or 5 years old but it is usually 8-10 years old before a pecan tree produces enough pecans to pay for the cost of producing those nuts. GovernorJames Hogg (the first native governor of Texas) would be pleased with the results of his last dying wish. Instead of a fancy monument at his graveside, he requested a large pecan tree be planted and that the nuts from that tree be taken and planted widely across the state. The Gov loved pecans so much he wanted Texas to become a "land of trees". People began to take special notice of pecan treesin the state and in 1919 the Texas Legislature made the pecan the official state tree. And the rest you would say is history...and a really tasty one. Be sure to stop by many of the Texas Pecan Farms throughout the state and buy some of the finest pecans in the world, besides they may even have some pecan pie on hand if you're lucky. Interesting Pecan tidbits: Pecans were the first fresh food consumed on space flights by American astronauts. Apollo 13 (1970) and Apollo 14 (1971) crewmembers enjoyed fresh, raw pecan kernels from vacuum-packed plastic packages. Pecans can be frozen and stored for two years before going bad. Pecans can increase the rate at which the body burns calories and keep you full at the same time. Pecan Recipes: Traditional Texas Pecan Pie 1 cup Texas pecan halves or pieces 4 eggs, beaten 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup light corn syrup 3/4 cup dark corn syrup 1 tablespoon butter, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla Unbaked pie crust Mix eggs, sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter and vanilla together. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour filling into pan and top with pecans. Place pie into oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Cool Chipolte Chicken Salad with Spiced Pecans Judith Faulkner 1st Place and Runner up BOS Place State Fair of Texas Ingredients: For the chicken: 4 skinless chicken breast 1/4-cup mayonnaise 3-tablespoons canned chipotle in adobo sauce, minced For the pecans: 1-tablespoon butter 1/8-tablespoon cumin 1/8-tablespoon chili powder 1-tablespoon adobo (from chipotle) 1-tablespoon sugar 1-cup Texas pecans For the vinaigrette: 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar 4-Tablespoons olive oil 1-tablespoon chipotle mayonnaise 1-tablespoon honey 3-cups baby greens Instructions: Combine mayonnaise and minced chipotles, reserve 1 tablespoon for vinaigrette. Brush on chicken breast and grill for 8 minutes each side. Combine 1-tablespoon butter and spices, and 1-tablespoon adobo (from chipotle). Sauté for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add 1-tablespoon sugar with pecans. Stir until pecans are coated, spread on wax paper to cool. Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in small jar and shake until well mixed. Assemble: Place baby greens on platter, drizzle with vinaigrette, and arrange sliced chicken on top of greens. Sprinkle pecans over salad. Serve with additional vinaigrette on the side. Happy Shelling!