If your only experience of eating hazelnuts is those that you have picked out of a packet it's time to pull on your walking boots and head for the hedgerows. Hazel trees are common throughout Britain and produce their crop of nuts, often known as cobnuts, from late august (although they are not usually harvestable until mid September).

If you get to these nuts before the squirrels do you you'll find that, although they are smaller in size than their cultivated equivalents, they taste much sweeter. This is because their natural sugars begin to turn to starch soon after being picked so the fresher they are the better their flavour.

Of course, hazelnuts are extremely good for you too. Recent studies have found that eating just 25 grams of hazelnuts a day can help protect cancer and heart diseases. They are also a good source for B1, B2 and B6 vitamins essential for healthy blood formation and brain development in children.

Did you know?

Young ready to be picked Hazelnuts are called 'Philberts'. This is because, according to legend, they should ripen on 20th August - St.Philberts Day