European missionaries and explorers sent pecans back home and, from there, they went around the world. Pecans are the nut of a tree of the hickory family, Carya oliviformis. The seed is covered with a golden brown parchment-like skin. Pecans can be purchased with or without shells, whole or in pieces. Buy them according to how they will be used in your recipe.
Broken pieces are less expensive than whole and shelled are more expensive than unshelled.
For our tart, we will need pecan pieces for the filling and pecan halves for the topping. Our tart combines some unusual complementary flavors to enhance the finished pie. Brown or maple sugar offers more caramel flavor. Bourbon gives the pie some spunk. Spices include cinnamon and nutmeg, but you can also add cassia, cardamom and ginger, if you like.