Description
The Avellana de Reus PDO is the seed of the hazel fruit from the Corylus avellana L. and Corylus máxima Mill belonging to the Betulaceae family. The protected varieties are Negreta, Pautet, Gironella, Morella and Culplana.
Production Area
The production area of Avellana de Reus PDO covers the districts of El Baix Camp, El Alt Camp, La Conca de Barberá, El Priorat, Terra Alta and the Tarragona area in the province of Tarragona in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia.
Production Method
The fruit harvesting must take place only in plantations located in the production area in the period between the beginning of September and the end of October, when the fruit achieves full maturation. The fruits are harvested with the highest accurateness and at a certain speed to guarantee the best conservation conditions and quality. After harvesting, the hazelnuts are brought to the farms to be transformed: there they are cleaned, peeled and roasted. Before being suitably packed and labelled, the hazelnuts must be classified and pass the quality controls.
Appearance and Flavour
The Avellana de Reus PDO before transformation, at the moment of harvesting, is covered by an exterior green part, which is separated from the fruit when it achieves the right level of maturation. The hazelnut is positioned inside a hard peel. When sold, the Avellana de Reus PDO can preserve its peel or be peeled and roasted.
History
The cultivation of Avellana de Reus PDO boasts an ancient tradition strictly linked to its production area. There are historic documents which confirm that in 1271 there was a commission aimed at managing and selling hazelnuts. In 1472, a tax was paid for this fruit, to confirm the fame of this product in the past epochs. The attention for the cultivation of hazelnut has continued in the following centuries, as confirmed by the initiatives promoted in the 19th century to improve the cultivation method and the quality of the product.
Gastronomy
The Avellana de Reus PDO must be stored in dry, fresh and ventilated rooms. The fruit must be eaten free from its peel, natural or roasted. It is ideal to prepare a wide array of cakes. In addition, it can be used to prepare creams and sauces and to season beef dishes, vegetables and salads.
Marketing
The product is sold as Avellana de Reus PDO in the form of hazelnut grains, peeled or with peel. In this last case, they are classified depending on their sizes in two variants: very big (18 mm of diameter) or bigger (over 16 mm of diameter). The product is sold packed in sacks of fabric, paper or of other suitable material with different weights. The hazelnuts must be measured or sifted.
Distinctive Features
Hazel trees are cultivated in calcareous lands, not too deeply, localized at different altitudes (from sea level to 1,000 m) which give to Avellana de Reus PDO unique organoleptic features.