InspiredbythemystiqueofauniquelyAmericantree,thepecan,OklahomawriterJohnGiffordsetouttoexploretheUSpecanindustry,whichprovides80percentoftheworld’ssupplyofthisspecialtreenut.Whathediscoveredduringhistwo-yearimmersionwasanut--onethat’ssuprisinglysymbolicofAmericaitself--that’spoisedtobecomethenextsuperfoodandanindustrythattodayfindsitselfinthemostimportantjunctureinitshistory.ThoughtheUSpecanbeltextendsfromtheCarolinastoCalifornia,thepecantree,whichwasreveredbysomeofournation’sfounders,hasitsoriginsintheSouthCentralUnitedStates,wherewildpecansstillgrowalongtheregion’sriversandstreams,andinitsfloodplainforests.Thepecanistheonlynativetreenutthathasbeendevelopedintoasignificantagriculturalcrop.Thoughnativepecanscontinuetofigureintothe280-million-poundannualUScrop,wildpecantreesfaceanuncertainfutureasworldwidedemandcentersonthelargerandmorelucrative“improved“varieties.PecanAmericaprovidesreaderswithalookathowtherisingdemandforpecansaroundtheworldistransformingthewaythisnutisgrown,promoted,andconsumedhereintheUnitedStates.Alongtheway,GiffordexploresitspresenceinAmericanfolkartandculture,documentsthepecanindustry’squestforshareofstomachinamarketbrimmingwithothertreenuts,examinesthepecan’ssurprisingarrayofhealthbenefits,andprofilessomeofthefascinatingpeoplewhobringthisfoodtoourtables.Intheend,Giffordrevealsthepecantobemuchmorethanafood,butalsoaculturalcuriosityandevenametaphorforAmericaitself,onewhosediversenaturemaybeitsgreatestquality.
