A ‘spreadably delicious treat,’ whether on an English muffin, bagel or waffle, there’s no question that Nutella has been changing the way people eat.
Originally created in Italy by a pastry chef named Pietro Ferrero, the tasty dessert was initially known as ‘pasta gianduja’. Making reference to a carnival from the Piedmontese Italian region where hazelnut confectionary is common. Over the years it has been a topping on everyone’s plates from breakfast to dinner.
CSUN student Michael Goluza, a financial services major, said he loves eating Nutella and that there’s one ingredient in particular that he enjoys tasting.
‘It’s the hazelnut that gets me,’ Goluza said. ‘I love spreading Nutella on Hawaiian sweet bread.’
Goluza said his family is from Europe, where hazelnut is very popular.
Nutella is known for its hazelnut taste and, according to history, is what Ferrero used because of the low supply of chocolate during World War II. During the war, Ferrero was looking for a new product to overcome the short supply of many traditional pastry ingredients, including chocolate. He started experimenting with hazelnuts, which were plentiful in Piedmont, Italy, to extend the chocolate supply.
By the end of the war, Ferrero created a new frosting-like spread that combined roasted hazelnuts with cocoa butter and vegetable oil producing a texture more like paste rather than a spread.
Families would buy it by the loaf.
It was originally wrapped in tinfoil so it could be sliced and placed on bread, but now it comes in a jar and many have come accustomed to eating the paste by itself.’ ‘
According to Nutella’s website, after first introducing the paste, Ferrero produced a new and more spreadable version called ‘Supercrema.’ The name was changed in 1964 to what we now know as Nutella.
Nutella was imported from Italy over 20 years ago and has been outselling all brands of peanut butter nationwide.
The demand became so strong that the Ferrero Company decided to build a plant in the Somerset, N.J. and began to produce the same version in Canada for the past three years.
Lue Gilpilson, a former restaurant owner in Russia, said that he has been making crepes every Sunday at Santa Clarita’s Farmer’s Market. Gilpilson said he uses Nutella to add a bit of decoration and flavor.
‘It adds just a touch of sweetness without the calories,’ Gilpilson said.
Like Gilpilson, many restaurants have taken a likeness to the nutty treat. Beverly Hills French restaurant BLD uses it on their own crepes, which they top with whip cream and Nutella. Others can be seen spreading the dark-chocolate-like spread on breads of all kinds while others simply prefer Nutella by itself.
CSUN English major, Michelle Mutti, said she prefers sweet on top of sweet.
‘I only like it on something dipped in chocolate,’ she said. ‘Nothing else is better.’
Since its inception, Nutella has been creating a feeding frenzy. It’s been marketed in more than 75 countries across the globe. According to a recent blog on IMedia Connection, Nutella is ranked #4 on the popular social networking site Facebook with more than 2.1 million fans.
Whether dipped in chocolate, spread on a piece of bread or simply eaten out of the jar, Nutella has become a house hold name.
