Avellana de Reus
A protected-origin hazelnut from the Tarragona hinterland, toasted and ground into the backbone of romesco and picada.
Avellana de Reus is the hazelnut of the Camp de Tarragona and Priorat foothills, carrying a DOP. Reus was historically the trading capital for the crop, which is why the nut wears the city's name. Harvested from late summer into October, the toasted kernel is the quiet engine of Catalan cooking: pounded with almonds, garlic, bread and oil it becomes picada, the thickener stirred into stews at the last minute, and it is one of the two nuts (with almond) at the base of romesco, the sauce for calçots and grilled fish.
How it's served
Toasted and ground into picada and romesco, scattered whole as a garnish, or worked into chocolates and Catalan sweets.
- Origin
- Camp de Tarragona, Catalonia
- Etymology
- Avellana is the Catalan and Spanish word for hazelnut; Reus is the Tarragona city that was the historic centre of the hazelnut trade.
Frequently asked
What is the Reus hazelnut used for?
Above all for picada and romesco. Toasted and ground with almonds, garlic and bread, it thickens and flavours stews, and it is a base nut of the romesco served with calçots and grilled fish. It also goes into chocolates and sweets.
Why is it named after Reus?
Reus, in Tarragona, was the historic trading hub for hazelnuts grown across the Camp de Tarragona and neighbouring foothills, so the protected-origin nut carries the city's name.
Related terms
- RomescoA Catalan sauce of roasted tomato, garlic, almond, hazelnut, dried nyora pepper and olive oil. The default dip for calçots.
- PicadaA pounded paste of nuts, garlic, parsley and sometimes fried bread, stirred into a Catalan stew at the end to thicken and finish it.
- CalçotA long, sweet spring onion from Catalonia, charred whole over vine wood and dipped in romesco.