Imagine yourself in 1880s California, the 39-year-old widow of a silver prospector, with 20 acres of semi-arid land to cultivate. If you’re Harriet W.R. Strong, you meet the challenge and then some.

After studying crops and climate, Mrs. Strong chose to plant walnut trees, and eventually invented and patented an irrigation system involving flood-control and storage dams which was used as far away as Central America. She is credited with rapid growth in the agricultural business in Southern California. Mrs. Strong, who was born in 1844, eventually found herself the holder of at least 3 patents.

If you’re a walnut lover, you can certainly appreciate the persistence and creativity of Harriet W. R. Strong. And even if you’re not particularly crazy about walnuts, you can surely admire the against-all-odds success of this walnut maven.

I’m sure Mrs. Strong would want me to tell you that eating just one ounce of walnuts per day provides you with enough omega-3 fatty acids (in the form of alpha-linolenic acid or ALA) to protect your heart and lower your cholesterol. This is good news indeed for people like me, who don’t like fish, the usual provider of omega-3s (of course, there’s also flaxseed).

Chewy Walnut Squares
This recipe comes from Nuts: Sweet and Savory Recipes from Diamond of California by Tina Salter (a beautiful book; I highly recommend it.)

1 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. packed light or dark brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet or in a shallow pan. Bake, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool. Leave oven set to 350 degrees.

Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with a 16-inch sheet of aluminum foil; press foil firmly to make a snug fit, and let excess foil drape over edges. Coat foil generously with vegetable oil spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

In a medium bowl, beat brown sugar, vanilla, and egg until smooth. Gradually stir in flour mixture until well blended. Stir in walnuts; batter will be quite stiff. Scrape into pan, spreading evenly.

Bake until lightly browned at the edges and the top no longer looks wet, 20 to 22 minutes. (The center will appear soft and underbaked but will firm as it cools.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Grasp the overhanging foil and lift from pan in one piece; place on a work surface. With a long, sharp knife, cut into 2-inch squares. Peel squares from the foil and serve at room temperature. Store airtight at room temperature up to 5 days.

Yields 16 squares.

Lisa’s Notes:These are basically gooey walnut blondies–and very easy to make. The walnuts are definitely the star, and if you love the flavor and unique texture of walnuts, you’ll love these. There’s a depth of flavor that Hubby described as “almost smoky” (which might be because I used dark brown sugar). Next time, I might add a bit of maple extract.

After a few tastes for research’s sake, I’ve finally figured out what these bars remind me of: pecan pie. But with walnuts.

Sources:
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/m.gratton/Ladies%201st%20-%20H.htm
http://staff.lib.muohio.edu/~shocker/FemInv/CA.php
http://www.asme.org/Communities/History/Resources/Patents_Held_by_Women.cfm
Nuts: Sweet and Savory Recipes from Diamond of California