GOOD news: we are OK with hazelnuts!
After scoring a zero on Sidney’s last two skin prick tests, we were given the go-ahead to try a taste challenge at home. Actually, we were given the go-ahead a year ago but couldn’t for the life of us find any hazelnuts in their shells (naked ones run the risk of being contaminated by other nuts) until Christmas. And then I had a baby and we only got round to it now.
Mostly it’s good news for me, because it means I can now eat praline with abandon.
For Sidney, it doesn’t change anything very much because we still can’t buy anything pre-packaged, due to the risk of cross-contamination in the shelling process with other nuts.
What we can do, though, is buy them in their shells and crack them ourselves. I could whizz up a smooth hazelnut butter, or add ground hazelnuts to gluten free pastry (apparently it improves the mix). I’m happy to be adding something so nutritious to the repertoire.
But we have to tread cautiously. Throughout the oral challenge (a dab on the inside lip on day one, a quarter of a teaspoon on day two, doubling doses to a tablespoon on day six) we referred to the nuts as ‘hazels’. Sidney is just too young to understand why we would tell him he must not eat ‘nuts and nutty things’ and then promptly feed him some.
It’s safer too not to shout about it to all and sundry (yeah, I know this is hardly keeping schtum) because it’s hard for other people who don’t have to deal with allergies to keep abreast of the nut do’s and don’ts. There can be confusion, leading to mishaps, or even the apprehension that if one type of nut is fine, the others must be too. Skin prick tests show us that, mostly, they are not: we have definite reactions to peanut, pistachio, cashew, brazil, macadamia, almond…
So we’re pretty much nut free as was. But I, on the other hand, might sneak in the odd jar of this…
yesnobananas 
your posts are a delight to read. and by the way: nutella: a must!
Thank you 🙂 And… definitely!
We’ve just gone through an oral challenge for hazelnuts with the same results – a shiny new jar of nutella in the cupboard and me desperately trying to find hazelnuts in their shells when it’s not Christmas.
Thanks for your message! I’ve been told Budgens and M&S stock them outside of Christmas but have yet to track down any there myself. Do let me know if you stumble across any…
Oh, I see you got the ‘guru’s’ approval 🙂 :
“A families experience of introducing a ‘safe’ nut at home to their nut-allergic child”
We couldn’t find any hazelnuts in shells in M&S today. Boo.
Boo – will keep them peeled as we need some too! Will report back if any joy x
Have you tried scouring your local parks for hazelnut trees? Strangely enough I noticed today there were at least 4 trees in our small park and was thinking of picking some in the Autumn. You may have to fight the squirrels for them though!
Ha! Ooh, no I hadn’t – I’ll take a look tomorrow; it’s a great idea.. thanks!
Have you tried online? I got a bit caught up with cashew nut research (oral challenge number 2 box ticked, but almost impossible to buy uncontaminated by peanuts which is what I was looking for, as you can’t buy them in the shell) but found this site today which seems to sell nuts in shells in reasonable quantities (i.e. not wholesale).
forgot link….. http://www.realfoods.co.uk/product/635/real-foods-hazel-nuts-in-shells-bulk-wholesale
Oh that’s great – thanks so much – will have a look….