Hazelnut is the fruit of the hazel (Corylus avellana), belonging to the family Betulacee; it is native to Asia Minor and may have a round or oblique shape. Hazelnuts grow in pairs or in groups of three; they are covered with a green membrane as long as the fruit itself, which will have to be removed before the shell can be broken. The seed (the hazelnut proper) that is located inside a woody casing, is cream-colored, oily and sweet and is covered with a brown membrane. The hazelnut plant was already known before the end of the glacial period; originally from Asia Minor, it is mentioned in some Chinese manuscripts that date back 5,000 years; traces of hazelnuts have also been found in Switzerland, and appear to date back to the Copper Age. In Ancient Rome hazelnut plants were donated as a wish for happiness, while in France, they were given to the newlyweds as a wish for fruitfulness