Buckeyes, yum.

Here's the tastiest of Ohio State traditions, the all important buckeye. But first what's a buckeye and why are Ohioans called that?

A small, shiny, dark brown nut with a light tan patch that comes from the official state tree of Ohio, the buckeye tree.
According to folklore, the Buckeye resembles the eye of a deer and carrying one brings good luck. “Buckeyes” has been the official Ohio State nickname since 1950, but it had been in common use for many years before.

The first recorded use of the term Buckeye to refer to a resident of the area was in 1788, some 15 years before Ohio became a state. Col. Ebenezer Sproat, a 6’4" man of large girth, led the legal delegation at the first court session of the Northwest Territory in Marietta. The Indians in attendance greeted him with shouts of "Hetuck, Hetuck" (the Indian word for buckeye), it is said because they were impressed by his stature and manner. He proudly carried the Buckeye nickname for the rest of his life and it gradually spread to his companions and to other local settlers. By the 1830s, writers were commonly referring to locals as “Buckeyes.”

Also, here's what's with the buckeye leaves on the OSU football helmets.

A round white decal, about the size of a quarter, with a green depiction of a buckeye leaf is applied to Ohio State football helmets for big plays and consistency on the field. This tradition started in 1968 when Woody Hayes and longtime trainer Ernie Biggs changed the look of the Ohio State uniforms.

The Buckeye With the Most Team Spirit: BRUTUS!!!!




The best tasting buckeye is the one made from peanut butter and chocolate. Here's a great recipe from Nestle.

BUCKEYE CANDY

Estimated Times:
Preparation - 10 min | Cooling Time - 1 hrs freezing | Yields - 72 candies (6 dozen total)

Ingredients:

2 cups creamy peanut butter, (not all-natural)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, softened
3 3/4 cups (16-oz. box) powdered sugar
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening


Directions:
LINE baking sheets with wax paper.

BEAT peanut butter and butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in powdered sugar until mixture holds together and is moistened. Shape into 1-inch balls; place on prepared baking sheets. Freeze for 1 hour.

MELT morsels and shortening in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. Morsels may retain some of their shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted.

DIP peanut butter centers into melted chocolate using a toothpick, leaving a small portion of the center uncovered. Shake off excess chocolate and scrape bottom of candy on side of bowl. Return to baking sheets; refrigerate until chocolate is set. Store in covered container in refrigerator.