St. Philibert
Here at Sermoneta Orchards we call them hazelnuts, but they’re also known as filberts. Did you ever wonder why? The word hazelnut is based on Anglo-Saxon words for haesel for cap or hat, and knut for nut.
In 1066 the Normans conquered England; they called the nut of the hazel tree noix de philber, or nut of Philibert after St. Philibert, whose feast day is August 20th. This is about the time that hazelnuts in England ripen and are ready for harvest (here in New York State, too). St. Philibert of Jumièges was a seventh-century Benedictine abbot and founder of monasteries. The English borrowed the word as filbert.
Statue of St. Philibert
As the website Cook’s Info so aptly puts it (https://www.cooksinfo.com/st-philiberts-day) “This day was just about the time when the harvest for hazelnuts would traditionally begin in England (particularly Kent), as growers raced to beat the squirrels to the nuts.” We still try to beat the squirrels to the nuts.
How did cooks use hazelnuts in former times? I found two medieval recipes for hazelnuts in a lovely book The Cookbook of Julian of Norwich.
Julian of Norwich, who lived from 1342 to about 1412, became an ‘anchoress’ in her thirties, a woman who chose to live in seclusion for religious reasons. These recipes are based on recipes of the 14th century.
Hazelnut Milk (Nut milks are not at all new!)
1 cup ground blanched hazelnuts
2 cups water
Put nuts in large pan with water and heat until water boils. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain the liquid through a cheesecloth to remove coarse pieces (or, for a modern adaptation, blend until smooth in a blender). Chill before serving. Add honey as desired for sweetness. Drink alone or as nondairy creamer.
Fruit & Hazelnut Crumble
2 1/2 pounds mixed summer fruit (raspberries, loganberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, red currants, or whatever is available)
honey or brown sugar to taste
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts – toast them on a baking sheet at 275F for about 10 minutes. Careful, they burn easily.
1/2 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
Put the fruit in a pan or microwave dish with about an inch of water in the bottom and cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fruit has become soft. Sweeten to taste with honey or brown sugar (medieval cooks would have used honey). Chop hazelnuts in a food processor until they are around the consistency of breadcrumbs, and then mix with the breadcrumbs. Spoon the fruit into a baking dish and cover with a thick layer of the hazelnut and breadcrumb mix. Bake at 350ºF for between 20 to 30 minutes or until the top is slightly crunchy and browned. Serve with cream or a plain yogurt.
Would St. Philibert have enjoyed such dishes? St. Philibert lived about 700 years before Julian, who herself lived about 700 years before our time, but these recipes seem, well, timeless.
(Sources: www.Catholic.org, www.merriam-webster.com, www.cooksinfo.com
If you’d like a copy of The Cookbook of Julian of Norwich you can find it here https://www.amazon.com/Cookbook-Julian-Norwich-Hazelnuts-Collection-ebook/dp/B08PC533N3/ref=sr_1_2?crid=QEE42C5QCKTI&keywords=cookbook+of+Julian+of+norwich&qid=1658180183&s=books&sprefix=cookbook+of+julian+of+norwich%2Cstripbooks%2C86&sr=1-2 or here https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781625242839)
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