Genuine Piedmont hazelnut puree

A further refinement undergoes part of the nuts by processing into hazelnut puree. In a specially designed machine, the roasted and finely ground hazelnuts together with the valuable hazelnut oil are refined into a natural, thick mass. This recipe is primarily used in confectioneries and ice cream parlors - in appropriate containers. And what is right for the professionals can only be cheap in the household. José Noè therefore also fills small jars with the concentrate, to which quite a few of our customers (and employees) have already fallen for. It can be used for ice cream and cake preparation, to round off desserts (such as Bavarian cream) or even - drizzled with a little honey - to yogurt curd.

From the hazelnut tell us paleobotanists, it was one of the first plants that grew again in our latitudes after the last ice age, and thus made an important contribution to the diet of man. Until a generation ago, a hazelnut bush belonged in the garden of every farm - next to the elder. The queen of the hazelnuts comes from Piedmont. Due to its exceptional quality, the "Nocciola Piemonte" is a delicacy appreciated worldwide and has been protected as a Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) since December 1993. This covers almost the entire province of Cuneo, but the best growing conditions are on the hills of the Langhe. The variety 'Tonda Gentile delle Langhe' (the 'Round Noble from the Langhe') has been cultivated there for centuries - the self-restriction to a maximum of 400 plants per hectare further contributes to the unique quality of the nuts. They are characterized by an excellent smell and taste and are considered one of the best in the world. Due to the small harvest quantity, the coveted nuts of course have a corresponding price, which, however, is fully certified in the high enjoyment of the products.

José Noè from Lequio Berria in Piedmont is a hazelnut grower with a passion. When you meet him in the hills of the Langhe and witness him carefully inspecting his hazelnut groves with an alert, scrutinizing eye, it becomes immediately clear why he chose the very path he is unswervingly following today. Initially working for over 30 years in a research center for raw materials for the confectionery industry, Noè realized that the course for quality was already set in agriculture, which finally brought him literally back to his origins, to his parents' farm, which he took over in order to grow his own hazelnut trees from then on - with organic fertilization and entirely without pesticides - and to market the harvest himself. A quite unusual project, the cultivation of the nuts was considered rather as a typical regional sideline, which represented a secure, albeit modest source of income.

When José Noè speaks today about his hazelnut trees, it sounds downright affectionate, although they keep him over the year plenty on the go. Thus, the cultivation on the partly steep, on average at 680 meters above sea level situated single sites is arduous - but only there prevail the optimal climatic conditions for the variety 'Tonda Gentile delle Langhe'. The autochthonous variety is now considered the best in the world, and not only by connoisseurs. The harvest alone, which begins at the end of August, lasts longer than six weeks. As soon as the fully ripe nuts fall to the ground, Noè collects them together with an employee to prevent them from absorbing too much soil moisture - a shaken amount of work with 4,200 trees on about 12 hectares.

Specification:

Hazelnut puree made from 100% hazelnut

Storage and preparation instructions:

Store in a cool, dry place.

Origin:

Italy

Responsible food business operator:

Azienda Agricola Papa dei Boschi
Via Pianravero 9
12050 Lequio Berria (CN)
Italy