Walnuts are a California fall classic, 13 recipes and one simply great idea

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Check out the walnuts in this bread. Recipe: Cinnamon walnut monkey bread (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Try grilling your romaine. Recipe: Grilled romaine with walnuts, Parmesan and anchovy dressing (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Serve guests game hens stuffed with kale, walnuts and cranberries, and they get both white and dark meat. Recipe: Game hens stuffed with kale, walnuts and cranberries (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Walnuts top off this celery salad. Recipe: Celery salad with pig ear, bacon and walnuts (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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This spicy red pepper and walnut spread is known as muhammara. Recipe: Spicy red pepper and walnut spread (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Walnuts add something special to wilted Brussel sprouts. Recipe: Wilted Brussels sprouts with walnuts (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

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These jam-filled cookies use walnuts too. Recipe: Hungarian Isler cookies (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Double-chocolate espresso walnut cookies from Julienne in San Marino are shown. Recipe: Double-chocolate espresso walnut cookies (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Mountain Restaurant’s walnut praline shortbread is shown. Recipe: Walnut praline shortbread cookies (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Walnuts are showcased in this bread. Recipe: Gruyère and walnut bread (Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times)

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Rosangela’s flourless walnut cake is showcased. Recipe: Torta di Noci (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Walnuts are critical in this cake. Recipe: Greek walnut cake (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

By Russ Parsons

Nov. 2, 2013 7 AM PT

Walnuts are one of California’s signature flavors of fall. We use them in all kinds of ways -- as a garnish for savory dishes, as a base for sauces and, of course, in baking. Boy do we like to bake with them -- breads, cakes, cookies, you name it.

One of my favorite ways to use walnuts, though, requires no recipe at all. Here’s what you do: Set out a platter of cheeses, a little bit of fruit (pears, apples, dried apricots) and a bowl of early crop walnuts in their shell. When walnuts are that young, you can crack them by squeezing them in your hand.

How to choose: Walnuts that are already shelled are convenient, but be aware that they do go rancid fairly quickly. Choose nutmeats that are plump and pale; avoid any that are shriveled or discolored. For whole nuts, avoid any where the shell shows signs of mold.

How to store: Whole nuts can be stored at room temperature for several weeks. Shelled nuts must be refrigerated immediately. Even better: Freeze them in a tightly sealed bag and they’ll last up to a year.

One simple dish: A basket of Bartlett pears, a plate of cheese and a mound of walnuts are as good a dessert as anyone could hope for.

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