Whole hazelnuts are shown here with products made with them: hazelnut liqueur and a bar of dark chocolate with hazelnuts. Photo by Esther Oertel.

Hazelnuts remind me of Britain and Beatrix Potter, Italy and sweet liqueur, nutty chocolate bars and Austrian tortes, Turkish desserts and nut-crusted meats.

While not as common in our cuisine as walnuts or almonds, these versatile spheres nonetheless add their distinctive mark in both savory and sweet dishes.

Hazelnuts are products of the shrub-like hazel tree native to temperate areas in the northern hemisphere. Varieties of wild hazelnuts grow throughout North America.

Also known as filberts, hazelnuts are produced in commercial quantities in Turkey, Greece, Italy and the U.S.

Turkey is by far the biggest producer worldwide, and in this country more than 90 percent of cultivated hazelnuts are grown in the fertile valleys of Oregon.

These small, round nuts encased in hard shells are typically harvested in late summer, but a necessary drying period means they’re released into the market during the winter months. Like most nuts, they’re available year-round.

Recent archaeological evidence indicates that large-scale processing of hazelnuts, including roasting, took place in Scotland more than 9,000 years ago. Ancient Romans cultivated hazelnuts, and Celtic folklore attributed wisdom and inspiration to the nut.

Hazelnuts are typically thought of as an ingredient in sweet cooking. They’re a popular component of many an indulgent dessert, including pralines, truffles, chocolate confections and rich tortes.

In addition to their place in the sugary realm, they’re used successfully in a panoply of savory dishes, including crushed as a crust for meats, combined with cheeses for appetizers, mixed with mushrooms or broccoli in side dishes, in pastas and stir-fries, in sauces and a variety of salads.

Hazelnuts also lend their nutty taste to coffee and products for use in this beverage.

The dark brown skins that are present on raw hazelnuts are sometimes a little bitter. Roasting the nuts not only enriches their flavor, but loosens the skin for easy removal.

To roast hazelnuts, use a low oven, about 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Place raw, shelled hazelnuts on a baking sheet in one layer. Put them in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the skins crack and the nut meats are a light golden color.

To remove the skin, pour the warm nuts into a clean terry cloth towel, wrap it shut, and allow them to steam for several minutes. Then rub vigorously within the towel for a minute or more.

The nuts may be roasted at a higher temperature, if desired, but should be watched closely.

If hazelnuts are stored in an airtight bag or container, they’ll keep in the freezer for a year or more. The next best place to store them is in the fridge. Bring them to room temperature before use in cooking or baking.

Sweet liqueur is made from hazelnuts. Italy’s Frangelico, which is also flavored with toasted coffee, cocoa, vanilla, and rhubarb root, is perhaps the most popular brand.

Hazelnut liqueur may be made at home using vodka as a base. Ingredients such as vanilla and allspice add flavor along with chopped hazelnuts, and sugar syrup sweetens the mixture. It’s aged for two weeks, strained, and aged for three weeks more.

Hazelnut flour, the meal made from grinding hazelnuts, adds a wonderful flavor and chewy texture to breads, cakes, pie crusts, and other baked desserts. The flour may be purchased at specialty stores, ordered online from companies such as King Arthur’s Flour or Bob’s Red Mill, or made at home with a food processor or spice grinder.

If you want to try your hand at making the flour at home, freeze the hazelnuts overnight first. Frozen nuts will break down more before the natural oils come out. Grinding hazelnuts without freezing may leave you with hazelnut butter, which makes for a nice spread, but it’s not what you’re after.

Pulse the frozen nuts in a food processor until most of the nuts have been reduced to a powder. Sift the powdered nuts through a fine mesh strainer so that only the finest ground flour remains.

If making hazelnut flour at home, be sure to create only what’s needed for your recipe. If you have extra flour, store the remainder in the freezer. When kept at room temperature, the oils in the flour will break down quickly, causing it to become rancid.

Expeller pressed hazelnuts produce a delicate oil with a distinctly nutty flavor. Since heat destroys its flavor, it’s best used as a dressing for salads. It works beautifully in vinaigrette dressings, especially when combined with fruity or sherry vinegars.

Since its taste compliments citrus fruits, raspberries, and cheeses such as feta, goat, Gruyere or Taleggio, these ingredients make nice additions to salads dressed with hazelnut oil. Toasted hazelnuts also compliment dressings made with the oil, and greens such as endive and mache work well with it.

Hazelnut oil can also be used as a substitute for olive oil in pesto, as it easily absorbs basil’s spicy flavor notes. It’s wonderful tossed with hot vegetables as an alternative to butter.

Similar to hazelnut flour, the oil can easily go rancid. It’s best to buy it in small quantities and use within a few weeks of purchase. I recommend storing it in the refrigerator to lengthen its shelf life.

Like other nuts, hazelnuts may be ground to make spreadable nut butter. Toast the hazelnuts first, then, when cool, grind them in a blender or food processor until a paste is formed.

A homemade version of Nutella, the deliciously addictive chocolate-hazelnut spread, may be made by adding a sweetener such as sugar, honey, or agave nectar, along with unsweetened cocoa.

Hazelnuts are rich in protein and unsaturated fat. They also contain significant amounts of thiamine and vitamin B6, as well as smaller amounts of other B vitamins. Vitamin E, dietary fiber and certain types of antioxidants are included in their nutritional profile, as well.

Today’s hazelnut recipe is one that caught my eye and made my mouth water: banana-hazelnut bruschetta.

Doesn’t that sound like an amazing treat?

We’re used to thinking of bruschetta as a savory appetizer with fresh tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and basil, but the term “bruschetta” refers to the toasted bread on which any topping may be served. So, why not a sweet version?

If you’re curious, take a gander below.

As an added bonus, for a homey, savory take on lasagna made with hazelnuts and butternut squash, visit www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Butternut-Squash-and-Hazelnut-Lasagne-105911.

I thought it sounded just too wonderful not to share.

In closing, if winter seems bleak, think of the hazel tree, which blooms this time of year, in midwinter. It also bears nuts for centuries.

Bon appétit!

Banana-hazelnut bruschetta

French bread baguette

2 sliced bananas

Butter

Sugar

Salt

Hazelnut butter

Whipping cream

Vanilla

Chopped hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Thinly slice the baguette and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Brush with softened butter and sprinkle with salt and sugar.

Bake until lightly golden, about 7 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, toss two sliced bananas with one tablespoon melted butter and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Sprinkle with sugar and bake until golden, about 10 minutes.

Whip cream, flavor with vanilla and lightly sweeten with sugar.

Spread hazelnut butter on the toasted baguette slices. Top with the roasted bananas, whipped cream and chopped hazelnuts.

Recipe courtesy of www.FoodNetwork.com.

Esther’s note: Purchase hazelnut butter in a specialty market or make it at home as indicated in the column above.

Esther Oertel, a freelance writer, cooking teacher, and speaker, is passionate about local produce and all foods in the vegetable kingdom. She welcomes your questions and comments and may be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Mark your calendar. On Sunday, May 20, the sun is going to turn into a ring of fire. It's an annular solar eclipse – the first one in the USA in almost 18 years.

An annular eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly in front of the sun, but the lunar disk is not quite wide enough to cover the entire star. At maximum, the Moon forms a "black hole" in the center of the sun.

The “path of annularity” is a strip about 300 kilometers wide and thousands of kilometers long. It stretches from China and Japan, across the Pacific Ocean, to the middle of North America.

In the United States, the afternoon sun will become a luminous ring in places such as Medford, Ore.; Chico, Calif.; Reno, Nev.; St. George, Utah; Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Lubbock, Texas.

Outside of this relatively narrow zone, the eclipse will be partial. Observers almost everywhere west of the Mississippi will see a crescent-shaped sun as the Moon passes by off-center.

"I like to compare different types of eclipses on a scale of 1 to 10 as visual spectacles," says NASA's leading eclipse expert, Fred Espenak of the Goddard Space Flight Center. "If a partial eclipse is a 5 then an annular eclipse is a 9."

This event should not be confused with a total eclipse. In a total eclipse, the Moon covers the entire surface of the sun, bringing an eerie twilight to observers in the path of totality and revealing the sun’s ghostly corona.

"On that scale of 1 to 10," he adds, "a total eclipse is 'a million!' It's completely off the charts compared to any other astronomical event." The next total eclipse in the USA is in the year 2017.

Until then, May 20 of this year will have to do.

Annular eclipses have a special charm all their own.

During an annular eclipse, sunbeams turn into little rings of light. The best place to see this is on the sun-dappled ground beneath a leafy tree. Hundreds of circular shadows can be found there.

You can also make a handy solar projector by criss-crossing your fingers waffle-style. Rays of light beaming through the gaps will have the same shape as the eclipsed sun.

Be careful when looking directly at the eclipsed sun, cautions Espenak.

"The ring of sunlight during annularity is blindingly bright,” Espenak said. “Even though as much as 94 percent of the Sun's disk will be covered, you still need to use a solar filter or some type of projection technique. A No. 14 welder's glass is a good choice. There are also many commercially-available solar filters."

"One of the unique things about this eclipse for watchers in the USA is that the Sun will still be in deep partial eclipse at sunset, making for some great photographic opportunities," he continued. "In western Texas around Lubbock, the sun actually sets during the annular phase."

A swollen red sun with a black hole in the middle? Maybe 9 out of 10 isn’t so bad, after all.

For more information about this eclipse, including maps and timetables, visit http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov.

Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

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The two-secret ballot took place on Wednesday and Thursday at Calpine.

Final tally of votes was 124 “no” votes and 70 “yes” votes, with 21 challenged ballots not counted in the final tally, as Lake County News has reported.

The union said the 21 challenged ballots were set aside based on claims that they were not eligible voters.

IBEW alleges that management’s decision to require employees to attend mandatory meetings with union busters from the firm The Alignment Group and to not allow union representatives on site compromised the workers’ right to a free and fair election.

Calpine Chief Executive Officer Jack Fusco also reportedly made several trips to the plant, as did other Calpine executives, who traveled from Texas during the union campaign.

The effort to unionize began last summer. IBEW said the Calpine workers were seeking union representation after a number of takeaways, including reducing sick leave and medical benefits. Those takeaways, the union alleged, coincided with skyrocketing pay for Calpine’s executives.

Workers sought representation to achieve a place at the bargaining table and to have a meaningful say in decisions that affect everything from compensation to safety and working conditions, according to a union statement.

At the same time, a strong opposition movement arose within the workers' ranks, with power plant operator Tim Janke operating a Web site, www.calpineunionfree.com, to advocate against the union.

Mike Farmer, a leading member of the 25 member organizing committee said that “fear won the day.”

“Even so, we proved that far more than a handful of our co-workers support the union,” he said.

Throughout the campaign, Calpine workers gained support from union members throughout the state. They rallied at the National Labor Relations Board office in San Francisco, the Calpine office in Sacramento and even met with Gov. Jerry Brown.

The effort also had the support of District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington, who wrote a letter to that effect to IBEW 1245 organizer Fred Ross on Dec. 20.

“I feel strongly that when both sides, management and membership, have a say in negotiating on policies and procedures that effect the working conditions, safety and benefits of the work force, it is to everyone (sic) advantage,” Farrington wrote. “As a result, the working relationship between the two is stronger and more productive.”

“These workers waged a courageous battle and against all odds and a stacked deck. They have worked too hard and for too long to go down without a fight,” said Ross. “We will continue to stand by them for the duration.”

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Maltese, a pit bull mix and beagle-terrier mix are this week’s featured dogs.

The three dogs vary in age, size and personality, and are ready to go to new homes.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

This 4-month-old pit bull mix is in kennel No. 12, ID No. 31641. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Pit bull mix

This male pit bull mix is just a pup at 4 months of age.

He has blue brindle and white markings, brown eyes, floppy ears and a short coat.

He can be found in kennel No. 12, ID No. 31641.

Steven Gene Hensley, 36, was sentenced by Judge John Behnke in line with a stipulated plea agreement previously offered by District Attorney David Eyster, and accepted by Hensley and his appointed public defender.

Hensley’s sentence requires that he register for life as an arson offender when he is eventually released from prison, the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office reported.

Hensley additionally was ordered to pay restitution for fire damages and firefighting costs totaling $354,138, officials said.

Hensley in December entered guilty pleas to 19 separate counts of arson instead of going forward with a schedule January jury trial.

He admitted to setting fires in various locations in and around the Willits area starting on July 4, 2011, and continuing through Aug. 21, 2011.

Eyster has previously cited the role of Cal Fire Captains Shawn Zimmermaker and Craig Dudley for their work in the Hensley investigation.

“The defendant had no way out of this one and he realized it. We have Zimmermaker and Dudley to thank for this,” Eyster said at the time Hensley entered his guilty pleas.

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The Clearlake Police Department confirmed to Lake County News early Friday morning that a suspicious package had been found at the Clearlake Commons apartment complex, located at 15160 Austin Drive.

Napa County’s bomb squad was called to the scene to handle the device, the department reported.

Part of the apartment complex was evacuated while the bomb squad was en route, and a temporary evacuation center was set up at the Highlands Senior Center on Bowers Avenue, according to the Clearlake Police Department.

Lake County News received information that the device was discovered in a dumpster following a phone threat, which also warned that the device might detonate soon.

Tara Eaton, a resident in the apartment complex, posted on Lake County News’ Facebook page that the whole lower section of apartments was being evacuated. The upper area of the complex where she lives was not required to evacuate.

James Thomas, a Lake Transit driver, said on Facebook that the transit agency sent four buses – including his – to the scene to help evacuate residents.

He said he transported people to the senior center, where more than 30 people were gathered.

Thomas said he was released from the evacuation at 2:30 a.m. At that time it was estimated that residents would not be allowed to return to their homes for several more hours.

However, shortly after 3:30 a.m. the Clearlake Police Department reported that the bomb squad had disposed of the device and the apartment complex residents who had been evacuated were being allowed to return to their homes.

At approximately 3:53 a.m. Lake County Fire Protection Chief Willie Sapeta reported over the radio that all of the evacuees had been returned home and firefighters were clearing the incident.

Further details about the incident were not immediately available early Friday morning.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

A small fire was reported near the Ellis Ranch outside of Lower Lake shortly before 2 p.m. Saturday.

Reports from the scene said firefighters quickly knocked down that blaze before finding some other roadside spots that had been on fire.

The fire was linked to semi truck with a burning trailer, which pulled over the corner of Highway 29. The driver was said to be unaware of the fire, according to radio reports.

One lane of traffic was blocked for a short time, the CHP reported.

Firefighters terminated the incident at 2:09 p.m., with the highway reopened, radio reports indicated.

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In California, it is illegal to buy or sell sport-caught abalone, or any other fish or wildlife, because it leads to the over-harvest of the resource.

There is no commercial abalone harvest from California’s coast.

“The arrests remove another threat to California’s precious abalone resource,” said Captain Bob Farrell of the Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Law Enforcement Division. “The illegal harvest and commercialization of our abalone resource can devastate the abalone population if left unchecked.”

In August 2011, wardens observed Nuanrat Musser, 44, of Cotati purchase sport-caught abalone at a Cotati massage parlor. Wardens maintained surveillance on the business and observed Musser make several more abalone purchases.

In September, wardens observed her as she resold the abalone contraband to Helen B. Macariola, 55, and Kritkaew McCulley, 65, both of Sacramento.

All three women were arrested and booked into Sonoma County Jail. The case was filed with the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office, where each defendant will face three poaching-related misdemeanor charges.

Honest anglers and members of the public can help wardens stop poaching by reporting poaching crimes to California Department of Fish and Game’s CalTIP line at 1-888-334-2258.

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After a two-day secret ballot that ended Thursday night, the campaign to join the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245 failed.

Once the polls closed at 8 p.m., the ballots were counted at the Calpine Visitor Center in Middletown, a process that took about an hour.

The unofficial vote count was reported to be 124 against joining the union and 70 for joining. An additional 21 ballots were reportedly cast against unionizing but were challenged by the union and not included in the final tally.

Altogether, 215 of the 219 workers eligible to vote took part, according to the preliminary vote count.

“It was decisive,” said a disappointed Mike Farmer, an organizing committee member who had campaigned to join IBEW Local 1245.

The effort to hold the union election began last summer, and since then a campaign had been under way to convince the eligible Calpine employees to vote in favor of joining IBEW Local 1245.

The union even had arranged for workers to meet with Gov. Jerry Brown and former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich.

Campaign organizers accused Calpine – one of Lake County's largest employers – of trying to prevent a free and fair election by bringing in anti-union consultants.

At the same time, significant opposition came from within the ranks of the workers themselves.

Last month Tim Janke, a power plant operator at West Ford Flat, launched his own Web site – www.calpineunionfree.com – to oppose unionization, with a total of 76 employees signing their names on his Web site in support of keeping a union-free workplace.

Janke told Lake County News this week that he was concerned that the union would add another layer of bureaucracy and cost some Calpine workers as much as $40,000 a year in lost benefits and bonuses.

On his Web site Thursday night, Janke posted a video congratulating his fellow workers for the vote.

“This crap is finally over with,” he said.

However, he went on to question if anyone really won, arguing that the union's actions damaged Calpine's reputation. Janke also urged people to focus on getting back to work.

In the wake of the election, “For most people it’s going to go back to normal,” said Farmer.

However, he said the organizing committee plans to meet on Friday.

“We have to decide whether we want to pursue some of the improprieties we feel happened during the election campaign,” he said.

While Farmer said he is leaning toward leaving things as they are and moving on, he said the organizing committee has seven days to file an objection and challenge the results.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

The free hour-long show will take place at the Soper-Reese Community Theater, 275 S. Main St., in Lakeport.

Seating will take place by 5:45 p.m., with the broadcast running from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The show will be broadcast live on KPFZ 88.1 FM and at its Web site, www.kpfz.org.

The first show will feature the a cappella quartet Earreverence, featuring Nick and Valerie Reid, Bill Bordisso and Carol Cole Lewis; Three Deep, a folk/bluegrass trio featuring Jill Shaul, Anna McAtee and Sarah Tichava; and Monday Thump, featuring April Knoll, Randy Johnsen, Janet Berrian, Jim Evans and Jon Hopkins.

Seating is limited. Tickets can be obtained at the theatre box office.

For more information, visit www.lakecountylive.com, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-245-9012.

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The months-long process to unionize 219 Calpine employees at The Geysers geothermal power plant culminated in a two-day election on Wednesday and Thursday at Calpine.

The final tally of votes, which were counted Thursday night, showed that 124 employees had voted no to joining the union, while 70 had voted yes.

An additional 21 challenged ballots were not counted in the final tally, the union reported.

IBEW has alleged that Calpine management attempted to prevent a free and fair election, and used anti-union consultants to persuade employees to vote against unionizing.

Calpine said in a statement released to Lake County News this week that it had worked directly with its employees to provide industry-leading compensation, benefits, equity, career progression and safety programs.

However, the company also said that it respected employees’ right to consider unionization as provided under the National Labor Relations Act “in a process which assures employees make an informed decision.”

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This pickup was involved in a single-vehicle rollover collision on Highway 29 near Lower Lake, Calif., on Thursday, January 26, 2012. Photo by Lisa Sani.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – A solo-vehicle collision on Highway 29 Thursday afternoon caused traffic snags for local drivers.

The California Highway Patrol reported that the incident involving a black pickup truck occurred at approximately 3:19 p.m.

The CHP said the crash blocked the northbound lane and that traffic in the area was backed up.

Information on injuries was not available.

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