Walnut or Pecan? upcoming tree nut challenge

[GingerPye]

My DD is going to have a food challenge soon, and she has tested negative for walnuts and pecans.  Other tree nuts she has tested high enough that the allergist does not want to challenge them, but allergist has said we should do a challenge to walnuts or pecans.

I don't expect my picky DD will like either walnuts or pecans.  I don't like either one but have not told her this.  What would be a better choice, as far as taste and availability?

[Janelle205]

I'm not sure about availability, but taste wise, I would go with pecans.  I don't like either, but pecans are tolerable, whereas I think that walnuts are bitter and taste like burning.

[Janelle205]

Had a second thought - in terms of availability, if you end up having to get in-shell ones to get safe ones, I have shelled both, and find pecans way easier than walnuts.

[hezzier]

I agree on taste.  I know Mac or someone started a thread on single sourced nuts.

[hezzier]

Sources for nuts (peanut-free, treenut-free, etc.)


Looks like there is info on pecans, but not walnuts

[CMdeux]

Walnuts, on the other hand, are probably a BIGGER problem in terms of XC, and so on the one hand, it would be more life-changing to challenge those than pecans.

Also-- living up north, we definitely have access to walnuts much more readily than pecans.  Seems like everybody and his dog has a walnut tree and is willing to give you the darned things. 

They also pop up in homemade desserts/breads and salad dressings A LOT.

[GingerPye]

I checked the source thread and didn't see any info on walnuts, as hezz pointed out. 

I thought of that too, CM, that walnuts would be in a lot of baked goods, desserts, etc.  With DD's egg and milk allergies I don't see that it will be a big problem.  She doesn't eat any baked goods other than what I make and a few store-bought bread items.  I did see a raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing with walnuts the other day.  That was a new one on me.

Anyone know where I can find some pecans for a challenge?

[twinturbo]

I'd (unhelpfully) agree with everyone that pecans are milder as a stand alone flavor but walnuts seem more ubiquitous like pizza, salads, etc. Forced to choose I'd vote pecans for a challenge due to flavor because assuming it's a pass you ideally want to eat the food after not be extremely turned off. I truly like walnuts but I'm not sure I could enjoy them plain without other flavors.

[Macabre]

Yes GP--La Tierra Farms. 

For both.

We've ordered pecans from them.  They are expensive.  But yummy.

I would be happy to send you some, but I would worry that we cross contaminated them while cooking.

If I had to choose, I'd go with pecans first.  DS is not allergic to either, but we added pecans first, and wow--it's been great. It's not like it's mattered in terms of items made outside our house, in terms of pecans or walnuts. He only eats pecans or walnuts coming from our house.  But with pecans, you've got pecan pie, banana muffins, all kinds of things.

Of course, I'm from the south, where pecans are more plentiful.

I would call La Tierra about XC with other nuts.  I haven't yet.  But DS is not allergic to any tree nuts, and we've been testing/eating them one by one for years. 

It's exciting!  I'm glad your DD is in this position!

[Macabre]

I do need to change something on that thread. The pecans that I recommended that we buy at Sam's have a warning this year. For the first time.  I called them, and they said nothing has changed with their practices, but for a couple of weeks a year, there is a possibility with one source that a peanut shell can enter the source line (not production line).  Dh and I have talked about it and are almost ready to buy them again. They are less expensive than La Tierra Farm. But we haven't yet.

[GingerPye]

Thanks for the info, Mac.  I didn't know where to start to find pecans.  I'll look up La Tierra Farms. 

TT, yes -- my thinking is that I don't want to turn DD off of tree nuts based on this first challenge.  That some day she may be able to have almonds and cashews, and she probably would like the taste of those.  But she's picky enough that if she hates the pecans, she may say no to all tree nuts.