Recipe: Fermented Black Walnuts (Alabama W Sauce)

I first learned of black walnut as a medicinal and culinary treasure from my herbal teacher and mentor, Darryl Patton. We were all gathered around listening astutely to Darryl explaining the many uses of this bitter plant and then he passed around a jar of black goo for us to taste. Everyone seemed to really like it, but when it came my turn for a sample I really had to control myself because I wanted to drink the stuff! I'm a huge fan of Worchesershire sauce and this tasted eerily like it. Yum! Now I make a version of this magical elixir every year and it is lovingly labeled "W-Sauce" in my fridge as a staple ingredient. You can also eat the actual walnut slices as well, but the sauce is my jam! Pair the walnuts with a nice cheddar cheese and you've got a winning combo.