Hazelnuts; photo by Kate Ter Haar on Flickr (use permitted with attribution).
Official State Nut of Oregon
The hazelnut (Corylus avellana) was designated the official state nut of Oregon in 1989. All State Foods
Oregon grows 99 percent of the entire U.S. commercial crop of hazelnuts. The unique texture and marvelous flavor of hazelnuts make them a favorite of chefs, bakers, food manufacturers, and cooks around the globe. Hazelnuts are rich in protein and unsaturated fat.
Hazelnut is popular as a coffee flavoring, is used to make praline for confections, is ground as a popular nut butter spread (more nutritious than peanut butter), used in many delicious chocolate combinations, and is also used to make vodka-based hazelnut liqueurs.