Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
- Annemieke
- Barbara Good
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Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
The chestnut tree down the road is prolific this year. In the past I have kept them for a while and then soaked them (because by then they had dried out) before cooking them with Brussels' around christmas. But can I also cook and eat chestnuts straight away, or do I have to keep them a bit, like I do with hazelnuts for instance?
And what else - simple! - can I do with them please?
And what else - simple! - can I do with them please?
Grow no evil, cook no evil, eat no evil!
And if you are interested in food and/or health, have a look at my website:
http://ThoughtforFood-aw.blogspot.com.
Love, Annemieke
And if you are interested in food and/or health, have a look at my website:
http://ThoughtforFood-aw.blogspot.com.
Love, Annemieke
- Flo
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Re: Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
I remember as a kid on the farm, we roasted chestnuts in the ashes of the coal fire. Didn't skin them or anything, just put a cross cut with a penknife across the top in the hopes that it would stop them exploding. Mostly it did. Me Dad was the expert in this but he's not with us now.
Other than that - https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide ... -chestnuts is the best I can manage as advice.
Other than that - https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide ... -chestnuts is the best I can manage as advice.
- Annemieke
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Re: Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
Got no coalfire ..... :-(
Grow no evil, cook no evil, eat no evil!
And if you are interested in food and/or health, have a look at my website:
http://ThoughtforFood-aw.blogspot.com.
Love, Annemieke
And if you are interested in food and/or health, have a look at my website:
http://ThoughtforFood-aw.blogspot.com.
Love, Annemieke
- Flo
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Re: Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
Nor me which explains why I don't pick fresh chestnuts now. Only use them in recipes which require them (things like stuffing) and I buy them in a packet. Cheat aren't I?
- Green Aura
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Re: Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
You can do them in the oven, or in a pan on the hob - just remember to cut that cross to stop them exploding, as Flo said.
Or you can boil, skin them and then cook again in syrup - marrons glace; chop them into stuffing; make nut loaf, or anywhere you'd use other nuts really. Normally they'd be too expensive but seeing as they're free, go for it!
Or you can boil, skin them and then cook again in syrup - marrons glace; chop them into stuffing; make nut loaf, or anywhere you'd use other nuts really. Normally they'd be too expensive but seeing as they're free, go for it!
Maggie
Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin
Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin
- Annemieke
- Barbara Good
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Re: Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
Thanks!
Grow no evil, cook no evil, eat no evil!
And if you are interested in food and/or health, have a look at my website:
http://ThoughtforFood-aw.blogspot.com.
Love, Annemieke
And if you are interested in food and/or health, have a look at my website:
http://ThoughtforFood-aw.blogspot.com.
Love, Annemieke
Re: Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
That's one of the things I miss living here.
When we lived in Kent we had several massive chestnut trees in our garden, several hundred years old, plus there were chestnut trees everywhere as they were grown specifically for producing poles for the hop growing.
I lost 2 fine chestnut trees in the hurricane of 1987, but several survived. Every year we binged on chestnuts for a couple of months, roasted and boiled, boiled ones were easier to eat as you can just squeeze out the centre straight into your mouth and not have to peel them (and burn your fingers) with roasted ones.
We used to store them by burying them in a biscuit tin in the garden (long before fridges) that way they keep perfectly fresh until spring, a lesson learnt from the squirrels.
Now I'm reduced to buying Spanish ones in the local shop.
When we lived in Kent we had several massive chestnut trees in our garden, several hundred years old, plus there were chestnut trees everywhere as they were grown specifically for producing poles for the hop growing.
I lost 2 fine chestnut trees in the hurricane of 1987, but several survived. Every year we binged on chestnuts for a couple of months, roasted and boiled, boiled ones were easier to eat as you can just squeeze out the centre straight into your mouth and not have to peel them (and burn your fingers) with roasted ones.
We used to store them by burying them in a biscuit tin in the garden (long before fridges) that way they keep perfectly fresh until spring, a lesson learnt from the squirrels.
Now I'm reduced to buying Spanish ones in the local shop.
Tony
Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.
Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.
- Annemieke
- Barbara Good
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Re: Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
Good idea, that biscuit tin! I don't like storing everything in fridges and freezers when there are good old-fashioned alternatives.
Grow no evil, cook no evil, eat no evil!
And if you are interested in food and/or health, have a look at my website:
http://ThoughtforFood-aw.blogspot.com.
Love, Annemieke
And if you are interested in food and/or health, have a look at my website:
http://ThoughtforFood-aw.blogspot.com.
Love, Annemieke
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Re: Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
I suppose charcoal would do for the "authentic" burnt taste? I remember the lady who sold them in the streets of London a long time ago... To be more exact, just outside Foyle's in 1977/78. I sometimes bought a paper bag of them for my lunch, and I am sure they used charcoal.
Like Flo, I buy a packet of them for special occasions. these days. Definitely cheating, but probably much cheaper.
Like Flo, I buy a packet of them for special occasions. these days. Definitely cheating, but probably much cheaper.
Ina
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
- Annemieke
- Barbara Good
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Re: Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
These days, these days - I'm glad I can still pick them up from the road in my old age! I'm privileged to live in the countryside. I think I bought the tins when I was young ....
Grow no evil, cook no evil, eat no evil!
And if you are interested in food and/or health, have a look at my website:
http://ThoughtforFood-aw.blogspot.com.
Love, Annemieke
And if you are interested in food and/or health, have a look at my website:
http://ThoughtforFood-aw.blogspot.com.
Love, Annemieke
- Annemieke
- Barbara Good
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Mon May 21, 2012 6:27 pm
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Re: Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
We've got so many now I am doing a trial: some I bury in a tin in the garden and some others in a plastic jar. Some more I will just put in the ground like the squirrels do. The rest go in the wire net in the corridor, as always. I will let you know the outcome by spring!
Grow no evil, cook no evil, eat no evil!
And if you are interested in food and/or health, have a look at my website:
http://ThoughtforFood-aw.blogspot.com.
Love, Annemieke
And if you are interested in food and/or health, have a look at my website:
http://ThoughtforFood-aw.blogspot.com.
Love, Annemieke
- Green Aura
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Re: Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
I hope you remember to eat some of them.
Maggie
Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin
Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin
- Annemieke
- Barbara Good
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Mon May 21, 2012 6:27 pm
- latitude: N 51°
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Re: Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
I put some markers on their graves!
Grow no evil, cook no evil, eat no evil!
And if you are interested in food and/or health, have a look at my website:
http://ThoughtforFood-aw.blogspot.com.
Love, Annemieke
And if you are interested in food and/or health, have a look at my website:
http://ThoughtforFood-aw.blogspot.com.
Love, Annemieke
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- A selfsufficientish Regular
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Re: Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
Bought my annual ration of chestnuts - cooked, sealed - today... That'll do me for Xmas.
Ina
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
Re: Chestnuts - how and when do I use them?
I bought a net of them when we went shopping on Tuesday.
Handily the shop's chestnut selling season coincides with the wood burner lighting season, which also coincides with the burnt finger season from trying to peel roasted chestnuts.
Handily the shop's chestnut selling season coincides with the wood burner lighting season, which also coincides with the burnt finger season from trying to peel roasted chestnuts.
Tony
Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.
Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.