Hazelnut heaven

HAZELNUTS have been providing a multitude of nutty nourishment since hunter-gatherer times and for me picking nuts captures the essence of my childhood in the country, evoking idyllic images of country boreens and warm autumnal colours. But apart from these romantic images, the Hazel Tree and its nutrient dense nut, is potentially Ireland’s most productive and sustainable source of protein.

Autumn heralds the annual arrival of nut picking season and in Ireland the Hazel tree (Corylus avellana) and its cultivated relative, the Cobnut, are our prime nutty providers. Hazel trees are small and hardy, just like multi-stemmed shrubs, which respond well to coppicing and thrive in hedgerows, woods and scrubland. This extremely useful tree can be found throughout the countryside and its nuts are not only a valuable source of food, but its leaves were traditionally fed to livestock and its flexible branches were used in thatching, building fences and shelters and used for making hurdles, furniture, and firewood.