Yes and no. Apparently many European acorns don't have as much tannin as the American ones. And I consider the soaking to be a pretty straight forward process. Do it, and you get out some of the bitterness. Do it more and get rid of more of it. etc.  I find it more amazing when you have to create a useless middle product and then process it more to make something edible.

I wasn't aware that the tannins had a bad effect on the kidneys. Isn't there tannin in tea?

nuts-msg (140K) 3/ 6/12 Nuts, acorns, nut flours in medieval foods.
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD/nuts-msg.html

Maybe I should separate out the acorn info into its own file?

Stefan

On Oct 8, 2013, at 9:03 AM, Ted Eisenstein <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>> I think you are probably thinking of "fugu" (puffer fish) and
>> cassava in addition to taro.
> 
> Ditto acorns, I am told: you have to put acorn flour into several
> changes of water to get rid of the tannins, which do a nasty on
> kidneys (aside from also tasting bad).
> 
> 
> Alban

--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
   Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas          [log in to unmask]
http://www.linkedin.com/in/marksharris
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****