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BC HAZELNUTS: History, health and hacks

Wild hazelnuts are found in BC coastal regions and there are commercial hazelnut growers here, too. Learn more about our native nuts.



By CINDA CHAVICH

 

You may think about jars of chocolatey Nutella or Ferrero Rocher truffles when you think of hazelnuts, but the wild beaked hazelnut has been gathered and consumed by Canada’s indigenous people, including many BC First Nations, for thousands of years.

The European hazelnut cultivar has been farmed commercially in the Pacific Northwest for a century, but the roots of this popular nut go much deeper.

Native hazelnuts — both beaked cornuta and californica — are found along BC coastal regions, the latter on Vancouver Island and the lower mainland, with a distinct variation growing around Hazelton in north central BC. It’s a shrub that can grow up to 10 metres (30 feet) tall in the wild, bearing clusters of small, round nuts encased in tough pointed or “beaked” husks.

 

COMMERCIAL HAZELNUT GROWERS

Fast forward to the 21st century, and though wild hazelnuts can still be foraged in BC, it’s the cultivated nuts that are gaining popularity with farmers and chefs.

But it hasn’t always been easy for local hazelnut growers.

In 2006, there were 1,200 acres of hazelnut orchards in BC — 800 acres in the Fraser Valley alone — producing over 2 million pounds of nuts annually.

Then, in 2010, the Eastern Filbert Blight, a fungus infection that had been circulating across North America, moved west from Ontario into BC. Carried by the wind, the blight decimated the industry, destroying close to 95 per cent of the commercial hazelnut orchards in just a few years, and resulting in three processors closing their doors.


Growing hazelnuts in Chemainus


Since then, BC’s commercial nut growers have been in rebuilding mode. With help from the provincial government, hundreds of acres of dead and diseased orchards have been removed and replanted with disease-resistant varieties developed in Oregon (the centre of US commercial production).

And though the annual harvest in BC declined to less than 40,000 pounds, Steve Hope of Fraser Valley Hazelnuts says the industry is rebounding.






In 2016, Hope and his partners revived a dilapidated processing facility in Chilliwack and opened Fraser Valley Hazelnuts, now processing and distributing most of the BC crop, from both lower mainland and Vancouver Island farms.

“We are the only commercial-scale processor in the province,” says Hope of the family-run company that buys hazelnuts from 27 BC farms.

“We also have 38 acres planted here, with 20 starting to produce last year,” he adds. “We processed 190,000 pounds of hazelnuts in 2022, definitely down from the height of things, but we’re hoping to see yields doubling every year.”

 

FROM REPLANTING TO PLATING

While native beaked hazelnuts grow on large shrubs, commercial nuts are produced on trees with a single trunk, about 10 feet tall.

“Hazelnuts are planted in rows, similar to an apple orchard,” says Hope, noting there are a dozen varieties planted on the west coast that vary in size and shape. Yamhill, a blight resistant variety developed by Oregon State University, is now a common cultivar in BC.

The drooping yellow catkins emerge before the leaves in early spring and release pollen to fertilize the buds which become hazelnuts. The nuts grow in clusters of three or four, encased in a leafy husk, that drops from the tree to the ground in the fall. Harvesting and processing takes place in late September and early October.

A harvester — “kind of like a vacuum on wheels” — picks up the 2-cm balls and removes the husk, then deposits the nuts into 1500-pound pallets for delivery to the processing plant. A blower removes any remaining husks, the nuts are washed and then go into driers for 24-45 hours. With the right moisture content, and when stored in cool, dry conditions the hazelnuts will last for a year or more in the shell.

Hope says Fraser Valley Hazelnuts acts as a receiving and processing station for commercial hazelnut growers, and as a distributor for a variety of value-added hazelnut products, including plain roasted hazelnuts, diced roasted hazelnuts, hazelnut meal, and milk and dark chocolate covered hazelnuts, created by a chocolatier in Abbotsford. You can find their products at several small retailers, including the Lepp Farm Market in Abbotsford, or order direct from the company’s online shop.

“We have added a cracking line, with a digital sorter, and a roasting line, with brushes to take off the skins,” he says. “And we sell them direct at farmers markets, and from our website, or to retailers and restaurants. We sell hazelnuts in bulk quantities to chefs all over BC.”

One of Fraser Valley Hazelnut’s most loyal customers is chef Devon Latte of The Acorn in Vancouver. After meeting Hope and his partner at the Every Chef Needs a Farmer, Every Farmer Needs a Chef conference in 2019, Latte made “a huge transition in the restaurant.”

“Prior to learning that there is someone who grows hazelnuts in the Fraser Valley (an exciting discovery), The Acorn previously relied on cashews, almonds, pecans, and pistachios that weren’t sourced locally, making their traceability difficult to follow,” writes the chef on the vegetarian restaurant’s website. “With Fraser Valley Hazelnuts, we know exactly where their products are coming from, all the while being able to support local”.

Though Latte recently left The Acorn kitchens, BC hazelnuts remain on the menu at the award-winning restaurant, served in dishes including Hand Pulled Red Spring Noodles with Hazelnut Dan Dan and Bok Choy, espelette pepper, burnt onion, mint, shallot, hazelnut.

Hope says their hazelnuts are on the menu at other restaurants, too, from Forage in Vancouver to The Naramata Inn. And the sweet flavour of these fresh, local nuts is popular with BC bakers and chocolate makers.

Among the many tasty products from ChocolaTas in Abbotsford (and Granville Island) is the popular Fabbo dark chocolate and hazelnut bar, made with 70% cacao chocolate and roasted hazelnuts from Fraser Valley Hazelnuts. The company also creates the chocolate-covered roasted hazelnuts, in both dark and milk chocolate, sold by the Fraser Valley Hazelnuts online and via retailers.

You can find local BC hazelnuts from this BC processor in other treats around Vancouver, too, from the whiskey hazelnut ice cream at Earnest Ice Cream to Power Crunch Bars with caramelized hazelnuts and Hazelnut Crisp confections from Thomas Haas, or Hazelnut Pithivier, puff pastry filled with hazelnut frangipane, and little hazelnut tea cakes from patisserie Thierry. And look for salted hazelnut dark chocolate bars from Wild Sweets by DC Duby or Vancouver-based Mumgry chocolate hazelnut butter.

Other retailers, including Vancouver’s Nut Hut, offer organic, locally grown raw and sprouted hazelnuts.

Flourist uses ground hazelnuts in its cookies and makes its own hazelnut chocolate spread to serve on its sourdough toast.

Hazelnut meal is a gluten-free substitute for flour and hazelnut milk is a vegan swap for traditional dairy, while hazelnut oil adds a nutty note to salad dressings.

 

HAZELNUTS WORLDWIDE

The BC hazelnut crop is small in the international context — in 2020 BC hazelnut growers produced just 33 tonnes (73,000 pounds), as compared to the 450,000 tonnes produced in Turkey in 2014, 63% of the global hazelnut crop. Italy, Georgia and the US are the next largest growers, producing 75,500, 37,200 and 32,700 tonnes respectively in 2014.

In North America, Oregon’s Willamette Valley is the main hazelnut growing region, producing 99% of the US crop, 3-5% of global production.

But according to the BC Hazelnut Growers Association, demand for hazelnuts is growing, making it a viable crop for farmers to consider. Once established, the drought-resistant trees require little water or fertilizer and, with a deep root system, prevent soil erosion and capture more carbon than other perennial crops.

“The BC Hazelnut Growers Association believes there is significant potential for renewed hazelnut production in the Fraser Valley, Okanagan, Gulf Islands, and Vancouver Island,” says the group’s website. “These areas are uniquely suited for this crop because of their mild, yet adequately chilling winters.”

“As climatic events have an impact on global supply, processors and consumers are going to be looking for suppliers to fill the void.”

Ferrero SpA (makers of Nutella and Ferrero Rocher) is the largest buyer, accounting for 25% of the global market, and its Brantford, Ontario plant is the largest in North America with more than 1,700 employees. Last year Ferrero Canada received a $5 million federal grant to continue to expand its production lines, part of the chocolate maker’s $26 million expansion plan.

So, demand for this native nut is growing and BC, with its ideal growing conditions, is the perfect place to expand this high value crop. Nutritious, delicious and non-perishable after harvest, local hazelnuts are sure to turn up in more products in the future.

“We are proud to help local farmers sell their hazelnut products to local consumers,” says Hope.




 

 

HAZELNUT HACKS

Hazelnuts — a.k.a. filberts — are loaded with vitamins, antioxidants and heathy fats.

Here are some easy ideas to add these local nuts to your daily diet:

 

Salad Toppers: Chopped toasted hazelnuts are perfect to sprinkle over salads — try a composed combination of slivered ripe pears on watercress, with crumbled goat cheese; or make a colourful and healthy combination of shaved brussels sprouts, kale, chopped apple and dates with roasted hazelnuts and maple vinaigrette.

 

Super Seafood: Try ground or sliced hazelnuts in a crust for seared salmon or halibut.

 

Power Snacking: Fill pitted dates with hazelnut butter and finely chopped roasted hazelnuts, drizzle with chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt

 

Delicious Dukkah: Make hazelnut dukkah by roasting hazelnuts with sesame, coriander and cumin seeds in a dry pan until fragrant, then grind in a food processor and season with salt and pepper. Serve with bread and olive oil for dipping, or dust over hummus, or sprinkle on salads and roasted vegetables.

 

Perfect Pavlova: Make a pavlova or nutty torte with gluten-free, nutty meringues as the base — just combine a cup of ground roasted hazelnuts with four egg whites, a cup of sugar and a few tablespoons of cornstarch, whip until stiff, spread into circles on parchment and bake until firm and crisp.

 

Caramelized Crunch: Caramelize sliced hazelnuts with sugar to sprinkle over ice cream or use to decorate cakes.

 

Quick Clusters: Combine melted chocolate (with a touch of coconut oil) with roasted hazelnuts (that have been chilled in the freezer), then drop in small clusters on parchment-lined baking sheets, and immediately sprinkle lightly with flaked sea salt and sugar. Refrigerate.

 

Frozen filberts: Whirl frozen ripe bananas in a food processor with a splash of vanilla, swirl in chocolate hazelnut nut butter (like Mumgry or Nutella), then re-freeze for a scoopable vegan “ice cream”.

 

 

RECIPES:

HAZELNUT PANCAKES

Fraser Valley Hazelnuts suggests using their roasted hazelnut meal in breakfast pancakes or waffles.

 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup roasted hazelnut meal

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

2 cups buttermilk

1/2 to 1 cup blueberries

neutral oil for cooking


Toppings:

Toasted hazelnuts

blueberries

maple syrup


In a bowl mix flour, meal, baking soda, and salt. In a separate large bowl whisk together the eggs and buttermilk. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Gently fold in blueberries — be sure not to over mix.Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brush with oil. Ladle about 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet for each pancake. Flip the pancake over once small bubbles have appeared on the pancake and continue cooking on the opposite side until golden. To serve, top with toasted hazelnuts, additional berries and maple syrup.


HAZELNUT JAM COOKIES

These delicious cookies are the perfect way to enjoy your favourite seasonal jam and the nutty flavour of  Flourist Whole Grain Einkorn Flour. Flourist sells these buttery cookies (in singles, packs of 2 or 6) from their bakery, too. 


1 cup butter 

2/3 (147g) cup sugar 

1 tsp vanilla 

1/2 tsp salt 

2 eggs 

1 1/2 cups whole hazelnuts, ground 

1 cup of your favourite fruit jam 

 1

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one and a time, mixing well in between with the vanilla. 

Combine the Flourist Whole Grain Einkorn Flour and salt and add to the mixing bowl. Mix until just combined and then add the ground hazelnuts and mix until combined. 

Scoop with a small ice cream scoop onto a parchment-lined sheet tray.

Create a small indent in each cookie using your thumb. Fill cookies with jam (about 15g each) and bake at 350°F until the edges are brown, about 10 minutes. 

 

 ©CindaChavich2024


This feature story originally appeared in Edible Vancouver magazine.

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