-------------------- sk'ee' -- acorn mush, acorn soup ----------------------

sk'ee' -- acorn mush, acorn soup

Pronunciation:
  Like "SK'EH'" or "s - K'EH'" (Listen)

Culture:

  Acorns (ch'int'aan) were the staple food of the Naahneesh, and many other peoples of California. They were eaten in three main forms: acorn mush/soup (sk'ee'), acorn bread (t'ast (Listen)) and fermented acorn/acorn cheese (ch'int'aan-noo'ool' (Listen), ch'int'aan tghaat (Listen)).

  The prefered acorns for eating were the black oak (lhtaagh (Listen)) and tan oak (saahching (Listen)), but other kinds were eaten especially when the supply of lhtaagh and saahching was insufficient.

  The stages involved in the production of sk'ee' were basically as follows:

    1. Harvest acorns (ch'int'aan) in the fall. Remove bad acorns.
    2. Shell acorns. According to Curtis (fide Bill Ray) the acorns were charred in a fire, soaked for two to three weeks, then shelled.
    3. Dry the acorn meats.
    4. Pound acorns to form a fine flour (tighaat (Listen)).
    5. Leach acorn flour with lots of water to remove the bitter and somewhat toxic tannins.
    6. Boil wet acorn flour (t'astee (Listen)) in baskets by placing fire-heated stones (seelhsow (Listen))* into the basket with tongs (tsee-bilhningghilai (Listen)).

    7. Eat alone or with vegetables or meat.

* If you want to try this on your own be very careful with the stones. Soapstone (seelhsow, literally "blue/green stone") which was traditionally used is extremely stable when subjected to extreme temperature changes. Most other stones have a greater or lesser potential to explode either in the fire, or when dipped into the rinsing water or the soup. When I say "explode," think schrapnel, hand-grenade, burning hot pieces of rock with sharp but jagged edges propelled at extremely high speeds, ready to slice through and burn whatever they happen to hit--including the cook! Never use any rock (even soapstone) that has cracks or imperfections.

Links:

  Acorn information for Maidu
   Acorn information and recipes from Mewok (Miwok)
  Acorn information
  Sk'ee' recipe from Mewuk

Related Languages:

  Nongatl, Sinkyone, Wailaki: sk'ee'
  Mattole: isk'e'
  Hupa: sa'xa:wh (literally "what someone puts into his mouth (in container)")

-------------------------
Bill Anderson
wranders@indiana.edu
Cahto Language Home Page