Cob Nuts!

monty100

Have just returned from walking the dog with my pockets full of cob nuts I had to fight the squirrels for! They are all green at the moment. Does anyone know if I can keep them for Christmas? Will they be worth it, or should I just eat and enjoy now?

moggins

I'd just enjoy them now. I have a glut of them this year so I'm using them to make hazelnut meringues.

kiwichick

Uuummmm..................might be cause I is a kiwi..............what the heck are cob nuts?????

moggins

http://www.cobnuts.co.uk/info.htm

lday77

it's alright I ain't a kiwi and I didn't have a clue what cob nuts were either

rkh001

This is spooky - I saw them today for the first time EVER! Asked OH what they were and he didn't have a clue. So I am glad that someone did ask this question.

But, how do you eat them?

monty100

You can eat them 'in the green', ie now - they are sweetish and quite juicy (for a nut!). I think you can also leave them to go brown and eat them later (like 'proper' hazelnuts), but I'm not sure how best to store them so that they don't just dry into wizened little things!!! Anyone know??

Angelina-M

Morning all.

I see the hazelnuts are getting nice and fat now. I know its early to pick them but I want to get in there before the squirrels take them all.

When is the best time to pick them and how are people storing them? They are still green at the moment but I like the taste of them. We had a bbq at the weekend and I toasted a few and they were delicious!

Also, I picked a couple from some trees and they were just a white/solid mass inside the nut. Whats going on there?

I hear that hazelnuts have good health benefits and can reduce cholestrol so I want to eat a few everyday on my daily walk. Nothing better than free food!

Pink.

Hi Angelina,

Hazenuts are in season from mid August (now) through to October. You can eat them now while they're green or leave them until they turn brown but if you do you risk the squirrels getting to them first.

They are better eaten fresh so the best place to keep them is in the fridge in a container without a lid, with absorbent paper such as kitchen roll in the bottom to stop moisture forming and prevent them from going mouldy. If you want to keep them longer they should be removed from the husk (easier done with brown ones than green) and then stored in a ventilated container in a cool dark place, giving them a shake from time to time.

Pink

scuzz

I've also heard of preserving them in honey. Just pack them into a jar and cover them with honey so no nut is left without honey on them.

Not tried it myself though

Angelina-M

Well I think I may just chomp on them on my way round my walk. Is it really weird to take a pair of pliers with me because my teeth hurt after breaking open a dozen lol!