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| AN UNHAPPY ONLOOKER |
We have a new nutcracker at our house, and it's creating
quite a stir!
Chris designed it, built it, engraved it, and surprised me with it at Christmas.
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| Chris is demonstrating the various positionings of the nut. |
This tool is a thing of wonder, and it works just the way Chris planned. With a little pressure on the handle and a well-placed nut, VOILA! The nut is cracked! Not shattered and flying all around, and not smashed so that you end up with ground nut meats, but cracked so that you can actually pick out the nut!
Of all the nuts, black walnuts are the worst nuts to crack. To make black walnut fudge, I used to get a hammer and crack the nuts from our walnut trees on a big rock out in the yard. Then, I'd crawl around looking for little nut pieces. Actually, the nuts ended up more smashed than cracked and the pieces would be so small that, when I tried making fudge, you wouldn't detect any hint of black walnut flavoring or pieces of walnut.
I've already tried the new nutcracker. Fun, fun, fun! I am so ready to make some yummy black walnut fudge. And Chris already has a buyer for his next nutcracker!
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| (Bye bye, little nutcracker-in-name-only! I've got a brand spankin' new nutcracker and you're being replaced. Admittedly, this one isn't pretty like you, but you couldn't live up to your name. Now it's the end of your game.) |
Cool! .....and does he have a buyer for his third nut cracker??????
ReplyDeleteI love that it looks like a backhoe/bulldozer man made it :) If you need a home for the holiday nutcracker, I have friends for him.
ReplyDeleteDr. Momi(aka Jean), it is cool! I would inevitably have smashed thumbs with my old method. This nutcracker requires only minimal muscle and it leaves the nut right beside it, not five feet away! In just a few minutes, I had a half cup of walnuts shelled! Would you like to be the third? If so, I'll tell him!
ReplyDeleteJessi, I'm afraid if I had more of the nutcracker soldiers, they would make a battle plan. Give me an offer and this little officer is yours. He keeps giving the new design a menacing look.
....yes, yes, yes! I would like to be number 3!
ReplyDeleteA nutcracker for black walnuts was on my list to get this year, and it looks like a great design!
dr momi, the answer is YES! You will be the buyer of the third nutcracker! Chris will build it for you. He has some other evening projects that he needs to finish first (chicken coop, the second nutcracker, and hawk-proofing the chicken pen if he can [the hawks have discovered our little hens but no loss so far]). It will be a little wait. He's sorry but it takes awhile. I asked him to buy enough steel to do 4 or 5. Lehman's has a steel nutcracker that can do walnuts, I believe. Theirs is a different design but looks workable if you need one fast.
ReplyDeleteThis is so neat that he invented, built it and made it a gift to you.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Ohio-grown nuts are the butternuts....somewhat similar to black
walnuts in the appearance of the hull, harder to find. My son has one tree. I found another one in a public park. This was my Dad's favorite. Mild, golden and buttery nutmeats.
but I will say...nothing like a great black walnut cookie with a cup of black coffee. YUM!~
I have seen the one in Lehman's....but I am in no hurry (didn't pick the black walnuts this year)and would love to have Chris' design. Whenever it's ready let me know and we'll connect up and pay up! Thank's!
ReplyDeleteRuby Slippers, I think we have a butternut. It began as a volunteer little sprout in the picnic area. Since it was new and different, I kept watching to see what it would become, sort of like watching your children develop and wondering what they will be like as adults.
ReplyDeleteDr. Momi (whether to capitalize or not, that is the question), I am delighted that you like the design. Chris designs well and does neat work. He's happy to have your order! We'll of course be in touch.
ReplyDeleteTonight we're getting snow on this (TWC quote of the day) "white random Tuesday". Our first, maybe an inch of mush.
I want one, I want one! Email me the cost, so I can start budgeting :) Our method--hammer and an anvil--works like your original method; nut shells and meats flying everywhere. This is an awesome tool!
ReplyDeleteGranny Sue, Chris says he'll be happy to make one for you! He just delivered his second one, and it takes a little while since he does it in his spare time. I'll get back with you soon!
ReplyDelete