Diamond Pine Nuts

About a dozen species of American pines have nuts that are large and flavorful enough to be edible. But chances are the pine nuts you've eaten were the seeds of the stone pine, Pinus pinea, a Mediterranean tree found from Portugal to Italy to Lebanon. This soft nut, found inside the cone of the tree, is shaped like a torpedo. It has a light, delicate flavor and a slight "piney" overtone. They taste similar to their cousins, the southwestern and Mexican pine nuts, called piñons.