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hazlenuts

 
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wellington womble



Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands
PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 05 7:01 pm    Post subject: hazlenuts Reply with quote
    

I'm a novice at foraging, and noticing that some treerat had been nibbling hazlenuts, when I found a load I could reach still around, I picked a bagful. Turns out squirrells are probably better judges of ripeness than me, as I don't think they're ready. They're not at all nutty. Will they ripen, or shall I feed them to the worms?

I don't eat them normally, so I'm not the best judge (I was going to make nutella!) how would I know when they're ripe, if there's any left I can reach?

Róisín



Joined: 30 Jul 2005
Posts: 578

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 05 7:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I find September the best time for hazelnuts and I never pick them, I always find plenty on the ground that are grand and ripe.

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 05 7:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

They don't ripen so very much more, at least not in my experience; they'll tend to rot rather than ripen. Aren't they kind of sweet and nice as they are?

And yeah, in many places you'll need to cultivate a taste for underripe ones to beat the tree rats

Even a bit underripe, they work really well in things like nut meringues and nougat.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 05 8:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I was going to say that we hardly see ripe hazel nuts round these parts, just fat grey squirrels. Hopefully I can get my own back soon and try a nice plump tree rat.

wellington womble



Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands
PostPosted: Wed Aug 17, 05 11:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

If I roast them first, will they be nuttier - I wonder if thats the problem - that they're raw, and I'm not used to it.

Roast in or out of the shells?

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Wed Aug 17, 05 11:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I really love the milky sweet taste of unripe hazelnuts, keep at it WW you'll get the taste for 'em.

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Wed Aug 17, 05 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

wellington womble wrote:
If I roast them first, will they be nuttier - I wonder if thats the problem - that they're raw, and I'm not used to it.

Roast in or out of the shells?


Roast very, very gently, and out of their shells. Underripe nuts have a tendency to burn really easily.

wellington womble



Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands
PostPosted: Wed Aug 17, 05 12:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

tahir wrote:
I really love the milky sweet taste of unripe hazelnuts, keep at it WW you'll get the taste for 'em.


Doubt it - I don't like nuts full stop, really! However, I think I could learn to live with them in chocolate spread!

thanks guys I'll give it a go, and report back.

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