Turkish Hazel

[Smilesbetter]

I realise that since this doesn't grow in the UK as far as I know, it might be pushing it, but does anyone here know any good uses for Turkish Hazel? Is it just the same as Common Hazel other than being smaller and having much harder nut shells? And what's the best way to crack the nuts? Also I assume it's okay to pick the ones off the ground too, yeah?

I have three Turkish Hazel trees growing in the park behind my flat which my pup Rosa and I love playing under (basically I just throw the nut cases from the ground around and shout "Baum-Hasel" and she tears after them like a maniac) and not even the local wildlife seems to be going to the nuts so there are LOADS waiting to be picked. I picked a bunch today and stored them in a jar, and can easily get more as it's part of our quick morning walk (the Baum-Hasel game absolutely exhausts Rosa, perfect for early morning dog walking).

This is properly my first foray into foraging so please bear with me if these sound like complete dumb questions haha! Oh and I know they are definitely edible, I checked online before picking them as didn't wanna pick something just to waste it.

[MKG]

I'd never heard of it, so I looked it up. Apparently, the nuts are tasteless - so the question arises as to why anyone would want them.

[Smilesbetter]

Haha I read they were quite tasty. Will be interesting to give them a try anyway if the is any good recipes to use them in.

[MKG]

Hmmmm - I just found another reference which says they taste exactly like the usual hazelnut.

There's only one way to find out. Off you go

Oh - they have 3mm thick shells, so it'll be perfectly OK picking them from the ground. I can't see much getting through that.

[ina]

And as to cracking them - sledgehammer? That's what I use on coconuts!

[Zech]

If the squirrels aren't eating them, they're probably more effort that they're worth, but you won't know until you try. You may find that dog toy is the best use for them.

[Oink]

I've never eaten Turkish Hazelnuts before, but they are probably similar to our own variety in that they taste better roasted.

The beauty of roasting is twofold.

a) It makes the shell brittle so easier to crack.

b) It imparts flavour.

Hope this helps.

Oink

[Smilesbetter]

Are they as scary as other similar nuts for roasting (there was one I was reading can be seen to be ready when one explodes violently)? Haha I imagine they'd be delicious roasted, never roasted any nuts before, will ask my man to help, he's the chef (aka he's braver than me in the kitchen).

Haha not sure I could get away with a sledgehammer, would probably end up killing the downstairs neighbours when I accidentally chop through the floor. I think I've already turned them into quivering, insane wrecks with all my stampeding pets (mostly the cats, the small one is amazingly loud) and my incessant ukulele playing. If it wasn't for the angry cackling shouty lady across the road and the shouts nazi guy in the back garden (I suspect he has some sort of mental health problem...) and the newly moved in, graffitiing Irish hipsters in the back building, and the guys who play rubbish dance music half the night, and the probably very depressed person who blasts Garbage and Nickleback all the time, or the people with the dog that barks 24/7 at absolutely everything it sees ever... Well of it wasn't for them, I think I'd possibly be the annoying neighbour. Come to think about it, sledgehammering Turkish Hazelnuts probably wouldn't go amiss here, even if it did break the floorboards.

[ina]

Your neighbourhood sounds delightful!

My sledgehammer is never far from the kitchen - but I break the coconuts (don't have them that often) outside, on the step.