The kids and I drove out to local orchard Fourjay Farms the other day to stock up and say hello to growers Basil and Jean Baldwin.
- Hazlnut trees 'blossom' in Autumn and early Winter. So pretty much as soon as harvest finishes, the catkins (male flowers, pictured above) begin to bloom and get ready to blow away and find lady buds.
- If buying hazlenuts in bulk, it's best to store them in the freezer (same goes for hazelnut meal). And you might also find that they are pretty delicious eaten frozen the crunch and flavour somehow intensified by the cold.
- The best way to roast hazlenuts is in a low oven for a good half an hour or so. I always thought a quick blast in a hot oven was the go but no. This way is so so much better and seems to intensify the flavours tenfold.
- If cured and dried properly, unshelled hazlenuts will keep their flavour and crunch for up to 12 months. As soon as they are harvested, Jean and Basil air-dry their nuts in the sun for 4-5 days, they are then finished in a drying cabinet and stored in cool, dark silos.
So if after all of this, you are in the mood for a little nut action...please jump over to Village Voices where I've just posed this recipe for hazlenut, chocolate and espresso cake. It's just beautiful for pudding, afternoon tea etc and lasts for ages.
Thanks Sophie. This recipe get's me out of a spot of bother. Been unable to find chestnut puree in Parkes for another cake I was going to make, this one will be a great replacement.
ReplyDeleteGood luck for the produce awards
Adela
This looks delicious Sophie, a favourite combination of mine, chocolate and hazelnut! Yum!
ReplyDeleteThanks too for the interesting hazelnut facts. xA.