Tombul hazelnut

Noisette Tombul (de Giresun)

What it is

Tombul means plump, and the Giresun crop is the reference grade of the world hazelnut trade — most of the planet's supply grows on one stretch of Black Sea coast. Frost or hail there in a single spring moves the price of hazelnut chocolate across Europe the following year.

In the kitchen

This is the nut to buy in kilos: roast at 160 °C until the pellicle blisters, then blitz it warm for a clean nut butter that takes salt and vanilla well. Do not use it where the aroma has to carry alone — it is sweet and low in aromatics.

Goes with

Dark chocolate Milk chocolate Salt Honey Butter Tahini

Same species

Cervione hazelnut Fresh green hazelnut Gianduja Hazelnut Hazelnut flour Hazelnut oil

In season alongside

Cauliflower Hedgehog mushroom Romanesco Ajvar Bintje potato Blue corn

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