Roasting Chestnuts
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at… Oh right. Christmas has come and gone. Cut the Christmas music. But don’t feel like you have to cut the roasting chestnuts, too. Ever since marrying into a European family, I’ve had a major crush on roasting chestnuts.
They’re still in stores around here in the USA. Street venders are still selling them at winter markets around Berlin. So what the heck. We brought some home. After all, Jack Frost is totally nipping our noses. We’re just going to skip the whole “open fire” thing and go with roasting in the the oven.
The first thing you have to do is make two slits shaped like an X on the flat side of the chestnut shell. Lay them on a big cookie sheet as you go. It’s pretty easy…
That’s Martin, me, and our brother-in-law going to town on the first chestnuts on Christmas Eve. And yeah. That expression would be me saying, “Can we pllllllease open a few Christmas gifts early?” I had a paring knife all wrapped up and under the tree for Martin! We give each other nerdy gifts like that. ;)
Cook chestnuts over low heat (about 275 degrees F or 135 C). The shells will peel open at the X. Swirl them around on the pan just a little. It takes 20-30 minutes. It’s hard to get fresh chestnuts around here, so it takes a little longer to cook the ones we have.
When they’re finished, they have almost a baked potato sort of texture. It feels like it almost melts in your mouth. Serve ‘em hot.
Have you roasted your own chestnuts? Had any from a street vendor? Or are you more of the stick-to-the-song kind of folks?
January 24th, 2011 at 8:32 am
When we lived in VA we had a huge Chestnut tree and ate them often. I bought some to make Chestnut stuffing at Thanksgiving and they were all moldy, it was so disappointing.
January 24th, 2011 at 9:19 am
I’ve had them once. I bought them from a street vendor in Rome. Hubby and I sat in the Piazza Navona eating chestnuts and drinking red wine while we people watched. I don’t remember particularly liking the nuts but I love that memory.
January 24th, 2011 at 9:28 am
Jenny – I think you’re right about the nostalgia of them. I can remember each time we’ve had them with such fondness.
Diana – ewww! Sorry to hear you got some bad ones. We haven’t had nearly the luck in the US with finding such fresh ones. A chestnut stuffing sounds drrrrreamy. Next year? ;)
Katie
January 24th, 2011 at 9:57 am
Katie,
I’ve had them in Italy, Germany and Seoul. They sure do warm you up when it’s below
freezing outside. Thanks for helping me recollect those memories.
January 24th, 2011 at 10:31 am
I am not a big fan of chestnuts (though Erik’s family loves them!). But we just bought a nutcracker, so we are looking forward to getting lots of fresh nuts to shell! :)
January 24th, 2011 at 6:17 pm
Here in Korea, they seem to be a big thing in the winter as well (although by now, I don’t see as many). The grandmothers sell them and they smell so good, with the steam rising! My Montana said they hadn’t ever actually seen a roasting chestnut, so I had to try. I’m not a fan, but I love to watch/smell them. More kimchi for me!
January 24th, 2011 at 11:35 pm
When I lived in London as a student, there were lots of chestnut roasters on street corners; I love the smell! There are still a few, but not as many as there used to be. Anytime we’re in a city in the winter with the children (not often!) I make a point of buying some if we see them, to support them.
At home I used to cook them in the oven, though DH isn’t than keen on them, but now we have a wood burning stove (not quite the open fire from the song!) I bought a chestnut roasting pan and the children love cooking them too.
January 25th, 2011 at 1:21 am
Mmm, I had some for the first time last month at a Christmas market here in Berlin–I’m a fan!