FILBERT
FACTS
Filberts and Oregon's History
Oregon's history with filberts started in 1892 when George Dorris
and his wife Lulu bought 250 acres of fertile land along the Willamette
River and dedicated their lives to farming. After experimenting
with a variety of crops, George established the first commercial
filbert nut orchard in the United States. Over the next 50 years
the Dorris family planted 9,200 trees at the Ranch and harvested
more than 50 tons of nuts each year.
Now, more than 100 years later, Dorris Ranch
continues to make history as a fully-productive commercial filbert
orchard. Owned by the Willamalane Park and Recreation District,
this 250-acre farm operates as a nonprofit organization. The Dorris
Ranch Living History Filbert Farm is located at the intersection
of South 2nd and Dorris Streets in Springfield.
Nutritional Information Nuts
are plant products. Nuts are low in saturated fats and have no cholesterol.
90% of the fats in nuts are mono- and poly- unsaturated fats. These
unsaturated fats are the "good" fats. Eating nuts will raise the
percentage of unsaturated fats and lower the percentage of the "bad"
saturated fats in the blood stream.
Filberts are rich in protein, complex carbohydrates,
dietary fiber, iron, calcium and vitamin E. They are very low in
sodium and sugar. Filberts, like other tree nuts, contain no cholesterol.
Over 80% of the total fat in filberts is mono-unsaturated.
Roasting & Storing Information
Filberts can be roasted using a conventional oven and a cookie sheet.
The oven should be preheated to 275°. Place shelled natural filberts
on an non-greased cookie sheet only one layer high. Place in warm
oven for 20 to 30 minutes until the skins crack and the nut meats
turn a light golden color. You can also roast them at higher temperatures
for a shorter period of time or microwave on full power for 3 to
4 minutes. The skins are quite tight on Oregon Filberts, however,
roasting will loosen a considerable amount of the skin. If you want
more of the skin removed, pour the nuts onto a clean terry-cloth
towel and wrap it closed. Let the nuts steam for 4 to 5 minutes
then rub vigorously for 1 to 3 minutes. Rub longer to remove more
skin.
Storing shelled filberts in an airtight bag or container in a freezer
will keep them fresh and flavorful for a year or more. Storing filberts
in the refrigerator between 32° and 35° is the next best place,
however, still keep in an airtight and odorless container. Nuts
should be allowed to warm to room temperature before using in baking
or cooking applications. Properly stored filberts will provide
wonderful flavor and texture to most any food, and can be used as
a substitute in recipes that call for nuts.
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Oregon
and Washington are the only places on earth where
commercial filbert crops are grown. The name filbert
is used because in Turkey, Greece, and Italy,
the filbert bush blooms in February on St. Filbert's
day and the name "filbert" is a local term for
the plant. The Oregon filbert crops are picked
in October. Over half the crop that comes in is
cleaned in the shell and shipped to the supermarkets
of the United States before Thanksgiving for resale
at Christmas time. |
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Oregon filberts are
available in a wide variety of forms. They add
unique flavor and texture to bakery and confectionery
items, cereals, salads, entrees, sauces, and deserts.
Most everything tastes better with filberts.
Shell removed, brown skin intact. Three sizes:
Small 1/8" Medium 3/16" Large 5/16"
Brown skin is removed or loose. Whole dry-roasted
Intensifies flavor and crisp texture.
A sweetened mixture of ground filberts and sugar.
Finely ground nuts with a consistency similar
to natural peanut butter. Flavorful, rich, and
high in protein content. |
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