Feeling squirrely? If what they say is true, and you are what you eat, then you must be nuts! Acorns are the heart of a delicious, wholesome snack this season.

The distasteful consumer will immediately start munching his or her acorn harvest without further preparation. To protect themselves, acorns are filled with a bitter chemical called tannin that prevents animals from eating the embryo. Squirrels will actually eat around the embryo, where there are fewer tannins. Being human, however, you may want to perform a more sophisticated operation.

The Native Americans rinsed out tannins by gathering the acorns in baskets, anchoring those in streams and allowing the water to flow through the nuts for a few days. Today, you can shorten this process, but it’ll still take a whopping 18 hours! You may not be able to weave a basket, but God help you if you cannot fill a pot of water and turn the stove on.

Place the acorns in simmering water. After a few hours, the water will turn brown to indicate that some tannins leached out. Change the water. Repeat. Carry out this process until the water remains clear. It’s an all-day affair, but this novelty snack is worth the commitment.

After boiling the acorns, the shells and caps can be peeled off as easily as slugs on logs. Finally, the acorns will be ready to undergo their holiday seasoning. In a saucepan, melt butter with brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Maple syrup makes an excellent sweet substitute. In a large bowl, mix the glaze and acorns. Place the mix on a greased pan, and roast in the oven on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes.

Place the acorns on a bed of ferns. Enjoy with good company and a mug of hot, spiced wine!