I’ve really been enjoying our CSA food share from our local farms this year. I’m amazed at the beautiful produce that arrives in our box each week. Even more amazing is that the kids are actually interested in what comes in the box AND eating it. I’m certainly sad to see the tomatoes and peaches move on, but I am ready for some fall goodies…
This week: some pears, apples, squash, pumpkin…and chestnuts!
Chestnuts? What the heck do I do with a bowl full of chestnuts? My only connection with chestnuts are with the street vendors roasting them on the sidewalks of Manhattan. I can smell that distinctive nutty smell just by looking at these.
Does anyone have any good recipes (or even craft projects!) to make with these?
What do you think of my pumpkiny mitts? So soft and cozy from Woolarina. I got them this past weekend at the Crafty Bastards fair in DC. (BTW, I’m not the only one that loves all things pumpkin colored!) Although I didn’t knit these, I did pick up some yarn from the same booth for some good fall knittin’. Can’t wait.
Have a cozy weekend!
We have an organic box delivery and are faced with similar dilemmas throughout the year. I’m quite good at knowing what various fruit and veg are, but every so often I get a bit stumped!
You might find this website useful: http://www.eattheseasons.co.uk/Archive/chestnuts.htm (this is the link to the chestnut entry with some ideas at the bottom of that page). I sub to their e-mail that periodically sends recipe ideas for food that’s in season (there’s the option to subscribe to the USA/Canada too, I can’t remember whether you’re in the UK or across t’pond.)
I roast them and chop them and add them to my dressing for Thanksgiving. I also made a soup with them once, from Martha’s mag.
Here’s one that sounds goodhttp://www.thefoodsection.com/foodsection/2004/02/is_my_blog_burn.html but I know Martha’s had heavy cream in it…this one is healthier.(my husband and I loved the soup..the kids not so much.)
Those fingerless gloves look awesome! I love the yarn and the colors. Perfect for this time of year. I never know what to do with chestnuts either, so sorry I don’t have any suggestions. Maybe check Martha or Smitten Kitchen or Epicurious.
Are chestnuts the same as conkers? B/c conkers (horse chestnuts) make spiders run away so you should scatter them liberally throughout your house if you don’t like spiders.
I love your new mitts. They look so cozy, wish I could find a pair. I absolutely love the colors. All my favorites rolled into one.
those mitts are great! i love all the fall going on in your photo!
I LOVE those 1/2 mitts, a friend is making me a black pair, but now I almost wish I had chosen variegated!
trashalou- well I hope they aren’t horse chestnuts, because I think those aren’t edible!?
Hi Chatty H,
I read that somewhere too, horse chestnuts are not edible! But since I got these from the CSA, these are not of the horse variety!
Betz
They make great godseyes for wool weaving with bamboo sticks. Love your gloves. They are beautiful in a bowl too. So pretty.
Chestnuts! Yum! I buy several jars every year at Williams-Sonoma after the holidays when they go on sale. Fresh ones are great just roasted in the oven and they’re also great added to stuffing and soup, but my favorite recipe ever of all time is this one. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/raffys-turkey-sausage-and-chestnut-stuffing-recipe/index.html If the link doesn’t work go to http://www.food.com and search for recipes with the keywords chestnuts and sausage. It’s my all-time favorite winter dish. Enjoy!
I love those mitts! So adorable. I wish I was able to go to such a great fair!!!
Chestnuts are great roasted and they taste great in any meal. But the best you can do with them is to make chestnut puree. That is our favorite (in Croatia, we have a lot of chestnut, we can even by frozen puree in a store or in patisserie)
Cook and peel chestnuts. Grind them (with meat grinder), add sugar and rum and serve with whipped cream. Yummy! (I have a recipe and if you wish to try I’ll translate it.)
Best regards, Gordana
Love your pumpkin mitts!!!!
For chestnuts, there are many uses. One of them is chestnut soup. Although if you don’t have many, that might be a bit difficult.
you can cut an X on the flat side then roast them over a fire yourself. In France there are these pans with holes in them just for that purpose. OR else you can roast them in your oven…. You have to peel them when hot to get that inner skin off. (it’s pretty bitter)
Some people boil them then make a purée, in France there is a specialty of cooking them in sugar… yum
Need I say more, I LOVE Chestnuts. Served with bacon and cranberry sauce….it’s delicious
One of my favorite autum and winter staples
You can play conkers
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/conkers.html
Or stack them and glue them and make nut people.
if you go to allrecipes.com and type in “chestnuts” it brings up 40 recipes.
some of my best recipes have come from that site.
I was at crafty bastards too and saw those gloves! I picked them up and tried them on, but decided to buy some roving instead. There was so much amazing stuff there, I could hardly decide what to spend my money on!