Hazelnuts

If you’re speaking in raw production terms, Turkey grows the vast majority of hazelnuts in the world, producing over 70% of worldwide consumption.

If, like me, you’re not interested in quantity but you’re more interested in the absolute highest of quality there is one place in the world you should chart a course to: Piedmont, Italy.

And there would be no better place to land than the exact epicenter of the Piedmont hazelnut, Cortemilia.

The IGP Tonda Gentile Trilobata hazelnut is the unique variety of hazelnut that can only be grown in these specific confines. The three lobes (hence, trilobata) gives it a distinct shape compared to other hazelnuts, but it’s really the flavor that makes it stand out above all others and is recognized as the best in the world.

In From The Source, we visit Carlo Zarri, a local chef famous for adapting the famous hazelnut into savory dishes.