Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Roasting



Fall has set in to lovely Northwestern Montana.. and one of my fondest Fall memories from childhood were roasted chestnuts. Walking around the Holiday Markets in Germany with warm chestnuts in a simple paper cone. And the fragrance..spellbounding. My dad's large fingers peeling them for me so as to not have to take my mittens off. To this day I still try to find that smell in store bought candles.

One brisk morning my son and I ventured out on a quick stroll with the dog, and to my surprise we found some of the lime green/brown spiky pods on the ground, surrounding a tree, a chestnut tree! We started pulling apart the fleshy covering to expose our treasures. I was so excited! My son thought I had lost my mind when I explained that you roast and eat these 'nuts'.

I realize that I should have taken the time and roast them outside on our fire pit, on coals or over a gas range in a perforated cast iron pan so that the flames engulf the shell and they get slightly blackened.... but I went ahead and 'googled' how to do it inside.. the oven. Yes, it would be easier to have a street vendor hand you over a bag or paper cone of fresh, warm chestnuts, but the smell and experience I had with my son will hopefully remain with him. And maybe he will be on a stroll with his children someday and stumble upon a chestnut tree...


*preheat oven to 425

*with a paring knife, cut an x on each

*arrange on baking sheet with x pointing up

*roast 15-25 min, til tender and easy to peel

*peel while warm

Enjoy the rich, sweet tender chestnuts with a beautiful red wine.
Make sure they are not horse chestnuts! You can't eat those..

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