Pieday: Black walnut at Boardwalk Cafe.

• KAT ROBINSON
• DARK TONES: Deep flavors in the black walnut pie at Boardwalk Cafe

There is something about the flavor of black walnuts that reminds me of childhood and fall, picking up the big round clad capsules out of the yard and watching one of the adults carefully but adeptly smack them with a hammer to get to the meat inside.

There are a lot of memorable flavors that come out in the Black Walnut Pie at Jasper’s Boardwalk Café. The pie’s just another reason to make the trek up Highway 7 for a drop-in with the Morgans.

I mean, of course there’s the amazing all-local buffalo burger. There are great all-organic eatslike elk chili over cheese enchiladas, elk gumbo and buffalo steaks, homemade salsas and salads made from all Newton County ingredients and those great potatoes cooked with herbs from the Café’s garden.

But it’s the pie I always have to have. I have encountered it nowhere else in the state, or anywhere for that matter. The sorghum molasses speaks to me — from when I had it on biscuits with butter as a kid. Deep, dark tones that unapologetically claim they’re the flavor of Arkansas bottomlands. I dig it.

• KAT ROBINSON

The pie is made with black and English walnuts, that sorghum molasses and cane syrup - no Karo Nut here. It’s served with a scoop of black walnut ice cream, an extra emphasis I thoroughly enjoy.

The pie is $5 a slice or $24 a whole pie — which may seem extravagant, but once you try how dense and rich this pie is you’ll understand. Take some home and share the flavor.

The Boardwalk Café is on Highway 7 (the address is 215 East Court Street) about half a block south of the Little Buffalo River bridge. (870) 446-5900 or check out the website.