Filberts or Hazelnuts? Whatever you call them, these slightly sweet aromatic little morsels of goodness are quite incredible. I had the pleasure of visiting local Oregon producers of hazelnuts recently and was impressed with how they are grown, harvested, processed and then prepared in so many delicious ways. Did you know that Oregon farmers grow 99% of the US hazelnut crops? In fact, Hazelnuts were officially named Oregon's state nut in 1998. The first tree was planted here 160 years ago and has thrived ever since. Why you ask? Oregon has the perfect climate for growing this delicious nut. Hazelnuts only grow in a very specific area along the 45th parallel and since Oregon has a uniquely temperate climate between the coast and Willamette Valley, it makes growing hazelnuts here perfect! The trees are planted in rows along the orchards. They are self pollinating all having both male and female parts. Hazelnut trees require low water and like to be slightly stressed to produce nuts. The first two years are stressful for the farmers insuring that the trees are safe from disease and healthy enough to continue to grow and produce. Hazelnut trees are able to produce indefinitely. We have trees in the valley here that are over 100 years old still producing!

Harvesting these beautiful nuts is interesting too. They aren't picked, but rather picked up off the ground. A machine comes through the orchard and picks up the hazelnuts that have fallen. After harvesting, they are then shipped to processing facilities to get cleaned, dried and sorted according to size. An interesting little fun fact...nothing goes to waste with this little nut. The leftover shells are perfect for using as mulch in your landscaping and they burn hot so they are a great energy source, as well.

(How cute is this little nut pod?)

Now let's talk about our hazelnut meal and ways to use it. Bobs Red Mill Hazelnut Meal is ground from whole hazelnuts. It pairs deliciously with chocolatethink of that famous chocolate hazelnut spreador this flour can be folded into beaten egg whites to create hazel nut macaroons. Replace 30% of the wheat flour with hazelnut flour to add wonderful texture and rich, buttery flavor to your baking, while reducing the total carbohydrates. This makes it ideal for those following a low carbohydrate or paleo diet. Hazelnut flour is outstanding in pastries, pie crusts, cakes, cookies, pancakes and quick breads, but this flour can also be used in savory applications. Use this nut flour in place of bread crumbs in meatballs, or as a coating for chicken and fish. You can even combine it with almond flour for a deliciously complex nut flavor in your creations. Next time you are looking to try something new, be sure to consider hazelnut meal and share your creations with us!