Hazelnuts

Hazelnuts: How Nature Creates These Nutritious Crunchers and Gets Them to Your Dinner Plate

Hazelnuts, also known as filberts, are nutritious little nuts with a wealth of health benefits that have been coveted by mankind for centuries. But where do these crunchy treats come from, and how do they make their way from the wild to your dinner plate? It’s a fascinating journey filled with a variety of processes that we’ll explore in this blog post.

What is a Hazelnut?

Before we dive into the nuts and bolts (pun intended!) of how a hazelnut is made and travels to your dinner plate, let’s first take a look at what a hazelnut actually is.

A hazelnut is a round, smooth nut that comes from the Corylus genus of plant. While there are different species that belong to this genus, the common hazelnut (Corylus avellana) is the one most often found on dinner plates around the world.

Hazelnuts have a wide variety of uses, from snacking to baking, and they are known for their nutritional value. Eating a handful of these delicious nuts provides plenty of minerals, like copper, potassium and calcium, and essential vitamins, proteins and healthy fats.

From Flowers to Fruits – The Life Cycle of a Hazelnut

For us to enjoy a hazelnut, we must first understand the process by which a hazelnut is created. Let’s take a look at the lifecycle of a hazelnut and explore the fascinating steps involved.

The Corylus genus is comprised of both male and female plants, which are identified by the catkins (flowers) they produce; some have long and slim catkins that are referred to as “male”, while others have short and round, “female” catkins.

The male flowers contain a white, powdery substance called pollen, and it’s this pollen that pollinates the female flowers to create the hazelnuts. Once pollination is finished, the female flowers swell to form green fruits that contain the nut inside.

Over the course of the summer, the fruits will ripen, beginning as green and gradually turning into brighter yellow, red and brown tones. It’s at this stage that they are ready to harvest and begin the journey to our dinner plates.

Harvesting and Processing Hazelnuts

Now that you know how hazelnuts are created, let’s take a look at the harvesting and processing of these delicious nuts.

Depending on the region, hazelnuts can be harvested using a variety of methods. In the United States, for instance, hazelnuts are typically harvested using a combination of manual labor and machines that shake the hazelnut tree to remove the fruits.

Once the hazelnuts are harvested, they will go through a few different stages of processing and cleaning. This typically involves a process of drying, separating, and testing for quality before being bagged and sent off to stores and supermarkets.

While the sorting and packaging of hazelnuts may vary from provider to provider, the overall process usually stays the same: The harvested hazelnuts are dried to reduce any moisture or bacteria that may be present. From there, the husks are removed and the kernels, which are the edible parts, are separated out and inspected for any foreign objects.

Afterwards, the hazelnuts are then graded and sorted by size, and any bad nuts are removed before the food is divided into smaller bags and sent off to retailers. It’s during this process that the nuts are often roasted and glazed with flavorings such as honey, cinnamon, or chocolate.

Shipping and Delivery

With the processing finished, it’s now time for the hazelnuts to make their way to retail outlets and markets. Depending on the type of hazelnut, the delivery process will vary slightly — for instance, many shelled hazelnuts are shipped in large containers, while in-shell hazelnuts may require special transportation methods to prevent the shells from cracking.

Once delivered to the retailer, the hazelnuts will be stored in a cool and dry place until they are eventually sold to consumers. From there, you can rest assured knowing your deliciously nutty snack is ready to enjoy.

How to Enjoy Hazelnut Favorites

Hazelnuts are an incredibly versatile ingredient that can be enjoyed in everything from snack mixes to candy bars and baked goods. Perhaps the most popular use for them is in the form of hazelnut spread.

Hazelnut spread is a delicious combination of hazelnuts, cocoa, and sugar that has become a popular snack item in recent years. It can be enjoyed as is, or it can be used to flavor desserts like cakes, muffins and cookies.

Conclusion

In short, the journey of a hazelnut from the wild to your dinner plate is a fascinating one. From flowers to fruits and from harvesting to shipping, various processes work together in order to give us the delicious treat that is the hazelnut. So the next time you enjoy a handful of these nutritious little nuts, take a moment to appreciate the journey they’ve made!