Acorn

Acorns are versatile nuts used to regrow oak trees, dye fabric, or be processed and eaten afterward. The acorns are rich in nutrients but contain tannins that are unpalatable for most humanoid and beastfolk species. To consume the nuts, the unpalatable tannins need to be leached out.

Properties

Material Characteristics

Acorns are oval one to two centimeters long nuts that sit within a cup-shaped cupule. They have a tough, leathery shells encasing the two seed coats and one, occasionally two, oak seeds.

Geology & Geography

Acorns are found in deciduous and mixed forests in temperate climate zones. Their harvesting time, availability, size, and appearance vary depending on the oak tree type.

Origin & Source

Acorns are the seeds of oak trees. Once ripe, they fall to the ground and can easily be collected from there. They can also be collected directly from the tree, but this might result in unripe, non-edible nuts.

Life & Expiration

Acorns will spoil rather quickly if they aren't processed properly. However, drying them thoroughly prior to further processing and storing them in a cool, dark, and dry place can prolong their shelf life.

History & Usage

Everyday use

The three main uses are regrowing oak trees, dye fabric, and food. As a dye, it can be used to dye fabric into colors ranging from golden brown and gray to charcoal. In terms of food, it can be used to create products like bread, noodles, ice cream, mousse, and various drinks.

Refinement

If the acorns should serve as a nutrition source, they must be processed to make them palatable. Hot water and cold water are two primarily used methods to leach out the tannins. For both ways, it is best to dry the acorns in advance thoroughly.

Hot water

1. Shell the dried acorns and remove any spoiled ones.
2. Optional: Chop the nuts coarsely.
3. Fill a pot with water and add the prepared nuts.
4. Simmer the nuts and exchange the water frequently.
5. After five to ten hours, the acorns are ready to use.

Hot-leached acorns are mainly used for drinks, soups, and snacks as they are unsuitable for baking.

Cold water

1. Shell the dried acorns and remove any spoiled ones.
2. Grind the nuts into a fine powder.
3. Add the powder into a sealable container and cover it generously with water.
4. Let it sit for about half a day, then exchange the water.
5. After five to ten days, the acorn flour can either be used immediately or dried for long-term storage.

Distribution

Storage

Processed acorns can be stored for a reasonably long time if thoroughly dried and stored in a cool, dark, and dry place.

Type

Organic

Odor

Acorns have an earthy, sometimes muddy smell.

Taste

Acorns taste bitter if the tannins weren't leached out properly. After the leaching process, they have a distinct nutty flavor with a sweet note after roasting. All in all, they have an earthy and hearty flavor.

Color

Depending on their growing stage, they feature light green, yellow, and brown color variants.

Common State

Depending on the season, either unripe and still green, freshly fallen from the tree and perfectly editable, or dark brown, almost black and rotten.