Roasting Chestnuts
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Mel Torme and Robert Wells wrote
the words and Nat "King" Cole's voice did the rest. What
a combination! What a song! The classic "Christmas Song" is
as much an American tradition as eggnog and chestnuts. But what is a
chestnut?
Chestnut trees once flourished from Maine to Michigan and as far south
as the Appalachians. The snowy white blossomed trees were prized for
their nuts and their strong, sturdy wood which was used to make everything
from sofas to railroad ties. Unfortunately, a fungal blight at the Bronx
Zoo attacked the trees in 1904 and spread rapidly. By the mid-1920s,
the American chestnut tree had all but disappeared.
Today, most chestnuts found in supermarkets are imported from Italy.
They are a different species from the true American chestnut. Not-to-be
confused with horse chestnuts, buckeyes and water chestnuts - all pretenders.
If you are in Europe during the winter, check out their chestnuts. If
you find some in the grocery store and want to bring the song to reality,
here is what you need to do.
Roasted Chestnuts
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Select fresh chestnuts that are heavy, glossy and firm, with
smooth shells.
- Using a paring knife cut a small cross on one side of each shell
to allow steam to escape and to make nuts easier to peel.
- Place nuts in a single layer in a heavy oven-proof skillet or roasting
pan. Roast 15 to 20 minutes.
- Wrap hot chestnuts in a towel and squeeze to crush the shells.
Keep nuts wrapped for 5 minutes before removing. Shell the chestnuts
by removing both the hard outer shell and the thin brown skin inside.
Careful not to burn your fingers.
- One pound fresh chestnuts equals about 2 cups roasted and shelled.
Winter
2000
Christmas Tree Selection Time Again | Gifts
for Gardeners | Holiday Season Pet Hazards
| Prepare Your Garden For Winter | All
America Vegetable Selections 2001 | Lawn Care
Calendar | Bug Bites: Unwanted Visitors That Are
Lurking In Your Firewood | Cybergarden Sites
| Hort Tips | Hort Shorts
| Garlic's Benefits Attract Researchers | Cranberries
| Let the Buyer Beware | Roasting Chestnuts |
Health and Household Tips | Did
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