The incomparable taste of the small, spherical nuts is not ultimately based on the careful processing after harvest. First of all, over a period of a few days, Noè dries the Piemont hazelnuts in batches in the courtyard of his house in the late summer sun before he warehouses the entire yearly harvest. It is only when the nuts are specially ordered that he then cracks the nuts, upon which a gentle roasting ensues. In small batches of five kilograms, Noè puts the hazelnuts in a roasting oven in which they are roasted at lower temperatures, a maximum of 150 °C, for around 30 minutes. In this way, the tender aroma of the raw hazelnuts is most intensified, and the bite becomes crunchy and crumbly instead of stony and hard. Simultaneously, they almost completely lose – and this is a major advantage with the Tonda Gentile variety – their brown, bitter skins; the remains are selected by hand. Last but not least, the cooled down nuts are vacuumed and immediately shipped, so that anyone north of the Piemont region who opens a bag can also smell and taste the freshly roasted aroma.

José Noè from the Piemont town of Lequio Berria is a passionate hazelnut farmer. If you were to meet him in the Langhe hills and see how he, with keen, scrutinising attention, carefully surveys his hazelnut groves, then it would become immediately clear to you as to why he has chosen the direction that he today pursues single-mindedly. Early on he was active for over 30 years in a research center devoted to raw material for the confectionery industry. It became clear to Noè that the foundations for quality existed within the realm of agriculture; this discovery ultimately brought him literally back to the origin, to his parent’s courtyard, which he took over in order to cultivate his own hazelnut trees and to market the harvest himself. While thoroughly uncommon, the cultivation of nuts was regarded more as a typical side job in the region that represented a stable, modest source of income. When José Noè speaks today about his Hazelnut trees he sounds affectionate, although they kept him intensely active for years. Farming is indeed difficult when it is done on steep hillsides with an average of 680 vertical meters; of course, it is only there where the optimal climate exists for this unique variety, "Tonda Gentile delle Langhe". This autochthonous type of nut is now regarded, not only by experts, as the best in the world. The harvest beginning at the end of August lasts longer than six weeks. As soon as the fully ripe nuts fall to the ground, Noè gathers them, together with a colleague, in order to prevent them from receiving too much soil moisture; this is definitely a significant amount of work with 4,200 trees on around 12 hectares of land.

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.

Sales description:

Peeled and roasted hazelnuts

Storage and preparation instructions:

Store in a cool and dry place.

Origin / provenance:

Italy

Responsible food business operator:

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