The lowly hazelnut, (Latin: Corylus avellana,) may not be as lowly as you might first think. In fact, throughout the small round nut’s 4500 years of existence it has made quite an impact on our world. For example, according to the Bible, Adam and Eve harnessed the power of a Hazelnut branch given to them by God to create all the animals of the Earth. And it doesn’t stop there. A manuscript found in China dating to 2838 BC describes Hazelnuts as one of the “five sacred nourishments” given to humanity by the Gods. From China to ancient Rome where, not wishing to be outdone by his foreign counterparts, the god Mercury apparently decided to carry a staff made from the branch of a variety of Hazelnut tree. The hazelnut, quite clearly, is nothing to shake a stick at. Which is odd considering that the traditional method for harvesting the nuts is to spread sheets around a tree and shake it, causing them to fall. This method is still employed widely in Turkey, one of the preeminent Hazelnut growing countries in the world. The Turkish hold the nut in such high regard that each September, in a town called Ordu, they celebrate them with a festival - the Golden Hazelnut Festival. Our Master Taster felt we should do our part to honor this little nut by giving it its own tea blend. We’re glad he did. Hazelnut tea imparts a pleasing astringency combined with buttery hazelnutty goodness - it almost deserves a festival of its own!