I’m a major foodie. It is a very difficult task for me to control my obsession with delicious things 😀 I have a love-hate relationship with nuts and dry-fruits though. Being an Indian, it is almost customary for every home to have a bowl full of almonds soaked in water kept overnight, to be peeled and had in the morning. And I never ate these, as the almond loses its crunch. I love raisins and cashewnuts though. Peanuts are another matter…Ah, well. I discovered the magic of Hazelnut when I ate my first Ferrero Rocher when I was a kid. And it left me asking for more. And I never even knew what this nut was called back then!
It was quite later that I learnt that this gorgeously crunchy nut was called a Hazelnut. Though I found it quite similar in texture to almond, but there is something about things that are not easily available, that make them so enchanting. Hazelnuts were never easily found in our grocery shops, as these are not native to India, nor are they grown here. I was always on the look out, nevertheless! Maybe, some day, they might appear magically on a local shop’s shelf. But they didn’t come. I had to quench this thirst with an occasional Ferrero Rocher, or a Hazelnut Galaxy chocolate. Nutella served it’s purpose too, but since it only had Hazelnut flavor and no real Hazelnut, it didn’t satisfy me.
Then, I had an opportunity to go abroad. And it was there, in ICA supermarket store, that I ran to a store assistant, and asked, “Do you have Hazelnuts?” And I heard the thrilling answer, “Yes Miss.” And I bought my first bagful of Hazelnuts!
The round cute nuts, sometimes a creamy white or a nutty yellow, when completely peeled, or a decadent lovely striated bown, with the skin on, are a beautiful thing to even look at! The nut, sometimes whole, or at times when the nut falls apart into two, is so delicious. Their scent is heavenly, I sometimes feel like having a perfume of this sort.
Since then, my beloved Hazelnut has also hit my local market, although steeply priced, but I don’t mind buying it, I’m just glad that I can go and buy it whenever I run out 🙂
I can gorge on them at any time of the day, without any regret, as it is healthy with a lot of good fats and vitamins. It can be added to muffins, cakes or cookies for their beautiful flavour and texture. Hazelnut coffee is something that I just sort of like, but not love, as the flavours seem artificial to me somewhat. I toss them into salads and with pancakes too, as they make evrything seem a lot crunchier and tastier.
My love for the Hazelnut is eternal.
Do you like them as much as I do? Share your crunchy memories with me!
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