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Here from we, in the province of Cuneo, hazelnuts are the queens of the territory : they are truly special because they are grown in Piedmont, the area in Italy famous for having carried out their cultivation with great dedication. We tell you this because there is a difference between the hazelnuts of one area and those of another: the variety, the climate, the soil, the care, make the difference.
Piedmont IGP hazelnut
Here we grow Piedmont IGP hazelnuts which are of the Tonda Gentile Trilobata variety, one of the best known and most renowned in the world: Piedmontese excellence that with the IGP designation guarantees goodness and authenticity to the product. We have learned to love them, to look after them, we know all their secrets and their great qualities.
It is a spheroid-shaped fruit in shell, which after roasting has an even more intense taste. It also keeps well and for a long time and peels like a treat!
The Piedmont hazelnuts IGP don't like to be mistaken for just any hazelnut, she says of her:
“I am round, kind, born in the soft Piedmont hills. I am very nutritious, which is why they recommend me to everyone: children, athletes, pregnant women. They are good indeed very good for those looking for a healthy and energy-rich snack. I can't resist chocolate. ”
It is in fact together with chocolate that IGP Piedmont hazelnuts give the best of them: it is there that even the crispest hazelnuts are enveloped by the gentle chocolate so as to become a symbolic combination throughout the world. world.
The hazelnut harvest
Do you know how hazelnuts are harvested?
They are not harvested from the tree but we wait for them to fall to the ground when the fruit is fully ripe. So we are sure that they are tastier (ripe fruits weigh more and contain less moisture) and peel better.
Ripening takes place in August when most of the fruit has fallen to the ground. Harvesting must be timely and must take place at different times to prevent the fruit from absorbing moisture from the soil and deteriorating.
Ah! We almost forget! We are members of the Consortium for the protection of Piedmont IGP hazelnuts, a consortium that fights in Italy and in the world for the protection and recognition of this excellence. We are cheering for them: go nuts!
Our Piedmont IGP hazelnuts bear the name of our farmhouse and are called Ca 'del Duca and you can find them in Piedmont Hazelnuts section
The identity card of Piedmont IGP hazelnuts
Errors
The hazelnut variety grown in Piedmont is the Tonda Gentile Trilobata
Production
Concentrated in the provinces of Cuneo, Asti and Alessandria, in an area between the hills of the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato
IGP name
This denomination guarantees users and consumers the quality and authenticity of the product.
The " Piedmont Hazelnut PGI " is particularly appreciated by the confectionery industry for its quality parameters such as:
- Spheroidal shape of the seed
- Excellent taste and aroma after roasting
- High peelability
- Good shelf life
For these reasons the Piedmont hazelnut is universally known as the best in the world
Why eat Hazelnuts?
The hazel, widely spread in all temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, was one of the first fruit trees used and cultivated by man, already representing an important source of energy for the first nomadic populations.
In fact, in addition to a significant content of essential amino acids and vitamin E, hazelnuts are particularly rich in lipids, with a caloric intake of 700 Kcal per 100g of dry hazelnuts.
In particular, the lipid fraction is made up of over 40% monounsaturated fatty acids (such as oleic acid) and has the highest monounsaturated / polyunsaturated ratio compared to other dried fruit.
Recent studies seem to show the positive effects of regular consumption of hazelnuts on human health.
It is in fact confirmed that a diet rich in oleic acid (the same fatty acid present in extra virgin olive oil) allows to keep the so-called "Bad cholesterol" at low levels in the blood, and to raise the levels of "Good Cholesterol" , which with its protective action on cell membranes constitutes an important defense against vascular pathologies. Furthermore, due to the high content of tocopherols, including vitamin E, hazelnut provides a notable contribution of antioxidant agents slowing down the aging of tissues.
In particular, the Piedmont hazelnut, distinguished from other Italian and foreign varieties for its high oil content (about 70%), proves to be a prized and quality food, able to satisfy not only the demand for taste but also the needs of a consumer who is increasingly attentive to the nutritional and health aspects of food products.