Georgia Leads the U.S. in Pecan Production! No Wonder Atlanta Chefs are Nuts About Pecans.

Wow, Georgia sure can produce the pecans! According to the Georgia Pecan Commission, Georgia farmers harvest 88 million pounds of pecans each year -- enough to fill 176 million pecan pies. Nutworthy news? Defi-nut-ly. Why should pecan pies be privy to all of the nuts? Atlanta restaurant menus are laden with a variety of pecan-infused dishes you'd be nutty not to enjoy!

Aqua blue has quite a catch: pecan-crusted trout served over sweet potato hash with sun corn, thin green beans and peach beurre blanc ($22).Aqua blue: 1564 Holcomb Bridge Road; 770-643-8886.

Eclipse di Luna tiptoes past the tapas to the dessert pages, where toffee, pecans and caramel sauce top chocolate fudge turtle pie ($6). Eclipse di Luna - Miami Circle: 764 Miami Circle; 404-846-0449. Eclipse di Luna - Park Place: 4505 Ashford-Dunwoody Road, Suite 11; 678-205-LUNA (5862).

South City Kitchen® Midtown cracks out of the dessert section to create southern steak frites ribeye, which comes with sweet potato fries, creamed Georgia greens and Abita Pecan Harvest Ale jus ($28.95); and grilled Atlantic salmon, swimming alongside butternut squash hash with country ham, toasted pecans, spinach and cider butter ($22.95).South City Kitchen Midtown: 1144 Crescent Avenue; 404-873-7358.

South City Kitchen® Vinings starts the meal with a mixed field green salad showing off toasted pecans under a balsamic vinaigrette ($6.95), then ends with an individual pecan pie with buttermilk caramel and vanilla ice cream ($6.75).South City Kitchen Vinings: 1675 Cumberland Parkway; 770-435-0700.

Uncle Julio's Casa Grande scoops out scrumptious bowls of cajeta -- vanilla ice cream with toasted coconut and pecans, topped with homemade caramel sauce and whipped cream ($6.25).Uncle Julio's in Buckhead: 1860 Peachtree Road, NW; 404-350-6767.

Woodfire Grill loves Georgia pecans and candies them to mix with julienne local apples and local lettuce salad served with buttermilk dressing ($9). Woodfire Grill: 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road; 404-347-9055.

Bold American Catering® sends pecans your way in this party- pleasing recipe. 404-815-1178.

Candied Rosemary Pecans
2 lbs. pecans
5 oz. butter
3 1/2 oz. light brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup corn syrup
4 sprigs fresh rosemary

Grind sugar and rosemary in a food processor. Melt the butter with the rosemary and sugar mixture. Pour over nuts and then drizzle with corn syrup. Bake at 325º for 15 minutes or until sugar crystallizes on the nuts.