SC - Hazel Leaves?

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Chris Stanifer wrote:
> 
> --- Rose <rose at santiagosmagic.com> wrote:
> > I'm looking at the recipe for "Noteye" from Harleian
> > MS 279, and it calls
> > for hazel leaves.  They're ground small in a mortar,
> > and then the juice is
> > wrung out and added to the meat and almond milk
> > mixture.
> >
> > So, are hazel leaves just the leaves from a hazel
> > tree?  What do they taste
> > like?  Does anybody know of a source for them?  Is
> > there a reasonable
> > substitute?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Rose
> 
> I can't find any reference for 'hazel' or 'hazel
> leaves' or even a 'hazel tree', for that matter.
> However, I have a plethora of references for Witch
> Hazel and Hazelnut!!  However, since Witch Hazel has a
> rather astringent quality, I can't see that it would
> be used very often in food.

The recipe seems to call for both leaves _and_ nuts from a hazel tree,
although, interestingly enough, it specifies that the leaves should be
young (presumably tender and more mild in flavor, whatever that flavor
may be) -- I wonder how you get nuts and young leaves at the same time
if you only have one tree, unless you simply go for the smaller leaves
from the current year's growth.

The recipe calls for the young leaves to be pounded and juiced as
described above, then the usual suspects of almond milk made from the
broth of the boiled capon or pork which will in turn be pounded fine and
added to the pottage, rice flour, and the juice of the leaves for
flavoring, color (perhaps), and maybe even some unknown medical benefit.
IIRC, chopped hazelnuts are added as a garnish.

Unlike cattails, I don't have easy access to hazel trees where I live... 

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com