Walnuts are one of the oldest tree-grown foods known to man, dating back to 7000 BC. Inscriptions on Mesopotamian clay tablets reveal that walnut groves were part of the famed Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Today, 99 percent of U.S. walnuts are produced in California, the source of two-thirds of the worlds walnut supply. Commercially grown walnuts are typically English walnuts, which actually originated in Persia and are not hardy in the Midwest.

Black walnut trees, however, grow naturally in Midwestern woodlands. If you are fortunate to have one of these trees and the space to grow it, it will need little care from you. As a landscape tree, walnut provides light shade and bright yellow fall foliage, although its nuts can be a nuisance in some landscape settings. Walnut trees are long-lived, sometimes exceeding 200 years of age.

Walnut Bread

1 cup butter or walnut oil 1 cup finely chopped onion 2 cups warm milk 2 envelopes dry yeast 2 teaspoons sugar 2 teaspoons salt 5 cups flour 1 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped

Melt butter in large skillet. Add onion and sauté until tender. Combine milk and sugar in a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over; stir to blend. Mix in onion mixture , salt and 1 cup flour. Blend in enough flour to form smooth ball. Butter large bowl. Place dough in a bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise about 45 minutes. Punch down dough and divide in half. Incorporate walnuts and cover with a towel for 45 minutes. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.