Don't associate chestnuts solely with roasting by an open fire - there's more to these sweet, edible nuts than just that. My time spent on a writing retreat in Umbria last month showed me how the locals harvest chestnuts in surprisingly modern ways.
I watched as a retired couple painstakingly vacuumed their fallen crop into a giant fan, which then blew out their bristly coats. The sorted nuts were put into bags and taken to the village square for collection by larger producers, one of whom was there with a lorry to take away their load. Later that day, I roasted some chestnuts in a pan over an open flame, appreciating them more than ever.
These sweet treats are not just convenient vacuum-packed options but also something special when consumed hot from the shell - a sensory experience you might have missed out on if you only know about ready-cooked, peeled nuts. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has provided sage advice and recipes to help bring their natural smokiness into your cooking.
While chestnuts are associated with Christmas and often sold in supermarkets around this time, they're not limited to holiday season. The nut played an important role as a starch in regions such as Umbria and Tuscany, where it's still used in traditional recipes like cakes, cookies, pasta, breads and soups.
Some of these dishes showcase the chestnut's potential for richness - take Yotam Ottolenghi's buttery frangipane tart or Angela Hartnett's smoky bacon fettuccine. Even less refined options, such as jarred cannellini beans tossed in Marmite butter and topped with grated cheddar on toasted sourdough, offer unique pleasures.
The humble chestnut deserves more recognition than its mealy reputation might suggest. There are numerous recipes to explore beyond Christmas and holiday dishes - try pairing the nut with an equally seasonal game bird like Blanche Vaughan's pot-roast pheasant or with a juicy burger at Notting Hill's Dove restaurant, whose limited offcuts make it highly sought after.
Lastly, don't overlook the impact of chestnuts on your taste buds. Give them another chance this season and see what delights await you - hessian sack and sheepdog entirely optional.
I watched as a retired couple painstakingly vacuumed their fallen crop into a giant fan, which then blew out their bristly coats. The sorted nuts were put into bags and taken to the village square for collection by larger producers, one of whom was there with a lorry to take away their load. Later that day, I roasted some chestnuts in a pan over an open flame, appreciating them more than ever.
These sweet treats are not just convenient vacuum-packed options but also something special when consumed hot from the shell - a sensory experience you might have missed out on if you only know about ready-cooked, peeled nuts. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has provided sage advice and recipes to help bring their natural smokiness into your cooking.
While chestnuts are associated with Christmas and often sold in supermarkets around this time, they're not limited to holiday season. The nut played an important role as a starch in regions such as Umbria and Tuscany, where it's still used in traditional recipes like cakes, cookies, pasta, breads and soups.
Some of these dishes showcase the chestnut's potential for richness - take Yotam Ottolenghi's buttery frangipane tart or Angela Hartnett's smoky bacon fettuccine. Even less refined options, such as jarred cannellini beans tossed in Marmite butter and topped with grated cheddar on toasted sourdough, offer unique pleasures.
The humble chestnut deserves more recognition than its mealy reputation might suggest. There are numerous recipes to explore beyond Christmas and holiday dishes - try pairing the nut with an equally seasonal game bird like Blanche Vaughan's pot-roast pheasant or with a juicy burger at Notting Hill's Dove restaurant, whose limited offcuts make it highly sought after.
Lastly, don't overlook the impact of chestnuts on your taste buds. Give them another chance this season and see what delights await you - hessian sack and sheepdog entirely optional.
I gotta say, chestnuts get a bad rep sometimes... they're not just for holiday roasts! 
I mean, have you ever tried freshly harvested ones? It's a whole different experience 
. The locals in Umbria were so cool about how they harvest them - all modern and efficient 
. And the recipes! Oh man, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has some fire ones 
. Chestnuts are like, super versatile - from cakes to pasta, fettuccine... you name it! 
So yeah, let's give chestnuts a second chance this season and maybe explore more of their awesomeness 
. They're not just for roasting by the fire, I saw people vacuuming 'em up with a fan 
. It's like they're trying to make sustainable farming thingy work. The nut's actually used in lots of traditional recipes, but nobody really talks about it outside of Christmas season 
. I mean, who knew you could put chestnuts in cakes and cookies? Some chefs are even making frangipane tart with 'em 
. It's all pretty interesting, I guess...
just had a random thought about how underrated chestnuts are... i mean, yeah, they're yummy but have you tried having roasted ones straight from the shell? game changer! 
anyway, just saw an article on how modern farmers in italy use fans to sort and collect their crops and it's so cool 
! I had no idea they were harvested in such cool ways like using fans to remove the shells. And roasting them over an open flame is a game changer, trust me 
! Chestnuts are like the unsung heroes of the food world, imo. We should totally give them more love this season 
.
I'm so over how underrated chestnuts are! Like, they're not just for s'mores or holiday snacks anymore. I recently discovered the amazing way locals harvest them in Umbria 
and it's like a whole new world of flavors opened up. The smokiness from cooking them over an open flame is game-changer 
and there are so many cool recipes to try out, not just the usual Christmas stuff. I mean, have you ever tried pairing chestnuts with roasted pheasant or on a juicy burger? Mind. Blown 
. Let's give these delicious nuts some love this season! 
.
. But at the same time, I was just thinking... maybe it's not even about the taste? Like, what if you're eating a bunch of other stuff and they're just kinda... there? 
then I remembered how we do roasted chestnuts at the campsite with s'mores 
can anyone please share their fave chestnut recipe? 
People always think they're just for roasting by the fire, but honestly, there's so much more to them than that! 
I mean, have you ever tried vacuuming fallen chestnuts into a fan? 
. Plus, they're not just limited to holiday season - chestnuts have been used in traditional recipes for ages, and they add such richness to dishes. Yotam Ottolenghi's frangipane tart is, like, whoa! 
just got me thinking about how much we take for granted when it comes to food, especially seasonal ones like chestnuts 
The locals in Umbria are totally on it when it comes to harvesting and processing - those modern methods are so cool 
. Give those humble chestnuts some love this season, not just for Christmas but all year round! 
the flavors you get from roasting them over an open flame or even just boiling them is so much better than those supermarket packets that just sit on shelves forever 
. It's like they're saying, "Hey, we can do this modern thing and still have some old-school charm 
". And don't even get me started on the recipes - Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a genius when it comes to bringing out that natural smokiness 
. I mean, who knew chestnuts could elevate a frangipane tart to new heights? 
. Give 'em another chance this season and you might just be surprised at how much flavor they bring to the table 
just had the craziest experience with chestnuts in umbria! they're not just for roasting over an open fire, lol. i went to a writing retreat and saw these ppl vacuuming up their fallen crop with this giant fan 
and then collecting it from the village square. now i wanna try more recipes than just roasted ones 
We should be supporting local producers who are using sustainable practices. And let's not forget about the environmental impact - we need to make sure our food production isn't harming the environment like some of these industrial farms do 
. On the other hand, I think it's great that chefs are getting creative with chestnuts and trying new recipes. Maybe they can inspire us politicians to be more innovative in our policies too 
I'm all about trying new recipes, especially those that feature seasonal ingredients like chestnuts. Have you ever tried making frangipane tart? It's a total winner