Abellota

ORIGIN OF Abellota

The acorn comes from the Arabic ballūta, or holm oak and is the characteristic fruit of the species of the genus Quercus, within which there are very varied tree species that bear this fruit, such as oak, holm oak, cork oak, among others, these are very famous fruits for being the favorite of squirrels.

This fruit can be used for human consumption, but the acorn must be processed before for the elimination or in any case the neutralization of the tannins, or tannic acid that is toxic for our consumption and that gives a bitter taste to the acorn.

For all of the above reasons, it is preferable and advisable to use the sweetest varieties, which have lower concentrations of tannins.

The acorns can be consumed roasted or cured, even from this fruit it is also possible to make liquor, in addition to its high nutritional content is used for feeding pigs and wild boars.

CURIOSITIES OF Abellota

In places like Andalusia, pigs graze and take advantage of the fallen acorns, while goats often climb trees looking for them.

Acorns are known to have been consumed on the Iberian Peninsula by hominids as early as 300,000 years ago. Research indicates that they were preferred because of the high energy efficiency in their collection, compared to the energy expended in hunting.

Approximately 12,000 years ago it is possible to find the first evidence of acorn collection in cave paintings; they are located in the Mediterranean area in one of the caves of Alcoy and other caves such as Tossal de la Roca in Alicante.