ACORNS AND EAT ‘EM by Suellen Ocean

“The Concows [Indians] of Round Valley
mixed the [acorn] bread dough with red clay before
baking, claiming this made it sweeter. The acorn
bread became black when baked and soon dried to a
very hard loaf. John Muir was fond of this bread
because it was such a compact, strength-giving food.”
“Pomo Indians considered the oaks to be
personal property and passed down the possession of
the trees in the family with definite rules. Some tribes
also discovered the precursor to today’s penicillintype
drugs: the ground acorn meal was allowed to
accumulate mold, which was scraped off to use for
boils, sores, and inflammations. The wood ashes were
used medicinally among the Cahuillas. Dye was
made from the bark and tannin was used for curing
buckskin. Whole acorns were also used to make
musical instruments and necklaces as well as toys and
trade items.”
Edible and Useful Plants of California, page 67
ACORN SPINACH BURGERS
1 small box chopped frozen spinach
1-1/2 cup leached, pre-cooked, cooled & strained
acorns*
2 eggs or just egg whites
1/2 cup flour
Mix, then shape into patties and brown in vegetable
oil or put on lightly greased cookie sheet and brown in
a 350° oven until done.
Variations: Substitute the same amount of your
favorite vegetable instead of spinach, ie; corn,
broccoli, etc.