Missouri – WANDERLUST FAMILY ADVENTURE

Taste Test – Hammons Black Walnuts

November 1, 2022 Joseph Candora Missouri, North America, Taste Test, United States

The wild American Black Walnut is native to 32 states and is the official tree nut of Missouri, where the crop is most abundantly found. It is one of the most valuable and fully utilized natural forest trees in the United States. The flavorful nuts contain the highest protein of any other tree nut and are hand-harvested and used as a popular ingredient in both savory and sweet dishes. We purchased a package from Hammons and gave them a try. The flavor of the plain nut was distinctively different than the typical English Walnut. The flavor of the Black Walnut is more pronounced than the much milder English Walnut. Although not as nice for snacking the use as an ingredient is still very good.

Alex ready to try them

Too strong a flavor for just a snack

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial/Gateway Arch – St. Louis, Missouri

August 31, 2020 Joseph Candora Architecture, Historic Sites, Memorials, Missouri, Museums, National Parks Service, North America, Rivers, United States

Gateway Arch National Park, formerly known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial until 2018, is located in St. Louis, Missouri, near the starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The Gateway Arch and its immediate surroundings were initially designated as a national memorial by executive order on December 21, 1935, and re-designated as a national park in 2018. The memorial was established to commemorate: the Louisiana Purchase, and the subsequent westward movement of American explorers and pioneers; the first civil government west of the Mississippi River; and the debate over slavery raised by the Dred Scott case.
The national park consists of the Gateway Arch, a steel catenary arch that has become the definitive icon of St. Louis; a 91-acre park along the Mississippi River on the site of the earliest buildings of the city; the Old Courthouse, a former state and federal courthouse where the Dred Scott case originated; and the 140,000 square foot museum at the Gateway Arch.

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

You can ride up to the top of the arch in pods.

You used to be able to go to a McDonalds restaurant on a barge docked on the Mississippi.

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield – Republic, Missouri

August 31, 2020 Joseph Candora Hiking, Historic Sites, Missouri, National Parks Service, North America, Rivers, United States

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, located near Republic, Missouri, preserves the site of the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. Fought on August 10, 1861, the battle was the first major American Civil War engagement west of the Mississippi River. In the battle, a Confederate army commanded by Benjamin McCulloch and Sterling Price defeated a smaller Union army commanded by Nathaniel Lyon. However, the Confederates were unable to hold much of Missouri, and a Confederate defeat at the Battle of Pea Ridge effectively solidified Union control of the state. Major features include a five-mile automobile tour loop, the restored 1852 Ray House, and “Bloody Hill,” the site of the final stage of the battle.

Taste Test – Billy Goat Potato Chips

August 23, 2020 Joseph Candora Missouri, North America, Taste Test, United States

Billy Goat Potato Chips are manufactured by the The Billy Goat Chip Company out of St. Louis, Missouri. These are handcrafted chips that are firm and crunchy made exclusively from Idaho russet potatoes.

I used to get handcrafted chips from two local companies; Granite State Potato Chips and Royal Feast Potato Chips sadly both of which are now out of business. I saw these chips on a “Try the World” unboxing video and decided to try them.

I was initially a little disappointed as the chips were a little stale but they were reminiscent of the handcrafted chips that I remember. Alex quite liked them after an initial reaction to the difference from the garden variety chip.

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