View Full Version : Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
MediaHound
10-07-2008, 10:40 PM
If you guys are looking for chestnuts this season, may I suggest placing an order from our member HarveyC (http://www.bananas.org/member-harveyc.html). Among some of the things he grows on his farm in California are chestnuts! Learn more about his operation and place your order (early!) at Correia Chestnut Farm - American Grown Fresh Chestnuts From Our Family Farm to You; large hand-harvested Colossal chestnuts, recipes, instructions for roasting chestnuts, chestnut roasters, chestnut knives (http://www.chestnuts.us)
'Tis the season for chestnuts!
MediaHound
10-07-2008, 10:43 PM
BTW, they link to many chestnut recipes from the informational page about cooking and storage, here:
Correia Chestnut Farm - American Grown Fresh Chestnuts From Our Family Farm to You; Chestnut Recipes, chestnut cooking directions, chestnut roasting instructions (http://www.chestnuts.us/cook.htm)
harveyc
10-07-2008, 11:01 PM
Thanks, Jarred, for the nice post.
Thank you also for letting me have the opportunity to be a sponsor, even if it's just for a short while this year. Hopefully, I can do more in the future.
Chestnuts are a lot of work but also a lot of fun as I get to hear all kinds of stories from customers. There should be another article coming out next month, btw, as a reporter from the LA Times is flying up tomorrow to visit my farm as well as the farms of a couple of other growers in northern California. I just hope I don't say something stupid; I don't like the quote I got in the LA Times a few years back! LOL
Harvey
sandy0225
10-08-2008, 06:42 AM
From my experience with the paper, those people pretty much make up whatever they want to anyway. The last writeup we had was all kinds of "quotes" that I never said. Some were pretty stupid sounding.
Ya know what they say though, "any publicity is good publicity!"
Congrats,
Sandy
harveyc
10-08-2008, 08:43 AM
My biggest "problem" with some of the publicity I've received is that the articles have usually come out close to Christmas, long after I've sold out for the year. I'll likely sell out before Thanksgiving this year. I sold and shipped out 20% of my crop is just the past week, but the initial rush will slack off a bit now.
Here is one short (maybe 60 seconds) but fun radio report from last year on WBAL in Balitimore by the same guy that did an article in Eating Well magazine. http://www.chestnuts.us/BruceWeinsteinUltimateCookWBAL.MP3
Patty in Wisc
12-13-2008, 04:12 AM
OK Harvey, next year I will have to order some from you. I never had a chestnut. I only used walnuts, pecans & blanched almonds for baking & cooking. Can't imagine what a roasted or boiled chestnut would taste like.
Lagniappe
12-14-2008, 02:53 AM
We got some great chestnuts from Harvey last year. It was fun to gather around and have a lil family time over fresh roasted chestnuts. One of my girls said "Daddy, this is kind of like eating crawfish" while she removed the shell from the prize. The other said " Yeah... Christmas crawfish" and that's what we'll call them from now on.
harveyc
12-14-2008, 06:59 AM
OK Harvey, next year I will have to order some from you. I never had a chestnut. I only used walnuts, pecans & blanched almonds for baking & cooking. Can't imagine what a roasted or boiled chestnut would taste like.
Hi Patty!
Unfortunately, not this year. :( I sold out on November 5th. As Mitchel posted in a separate thread on that date, a Los Angeles Times article came out that made favorable mention of our farm. We had already sold about 98% of our crop and sold out on the day the article came out. To top things off, I've had over 300 people sign up for our e-mail list for next year's crop since we sold out. We have typically sold out earlier each year (despite having a larger crop each year) and next year will definitely be an early year.
Pete, I forgot all about you telling me about that last year. I don't remember if I ever shared that story with my wife and son but will do so when the wake up! :)
I hope everyone has a blessed Christmas!
Harvey
island cassie
12-14-2008, 11:41 AM
Harvey - great to hear that things are going so well! I used to love buying roasted chestnuts in the streets of London - they smell so good and the taste!!! Really Christmassy!!
dablo93
12-14-2008, 05:01 PM
when i was in istanbul (lovely city) you saw in almost each street a person who was roasting chestnuts and selling it! I never tasted it, but it seems that the turkish people love it! here you see it never.
Patty in Wisc
12-15-2008, 12:04 AM
Harvey, I saw your article & read on your website that you are sold out, so I signed up to your website.
Now I am hearing "Chestnuuuuuuutts Roastinnnng on a ooopen fire" & still can't imagine what it's like. Next year!!!!???
island cassie
12-16-2008, 07:21 PM
Daen - Istanbul is one of my favourite cities - my uncle restored the Hagia San Sofia after the 2nd world war! You must have chestnuts in Holland somewhere!!
harveyc
12-16-2008, 08:31 PM
Turkey does reportedly grow some very good chestnuts and some of the chestnuts grown in Italy may have come from Turkey since it was on the Silk Road. When I attended a chestnut conference in northern Italy in 2001 the only other non-Italians there were a professor and produce broker from Turkey. Since the conference was in Italian and I knew very little of the language, I did hang out with them some of the time though, fortunately, I spent most of my time with a young Italian nurseryman (and his father on one road trip) who was a big help since he had been a foreign exchange student and attended school in Wisconsin. I've still get a grin on my face from some of the experiences I had in this area of Italy not frequented by tourists. :)
I do have a customer in Massachusetts who I believe came from Holland and she is a big fan of chestnuts, so I'm thinking they must be there. This lady cooks them in a Dutch oven after putting down a layer of coarse kosher salt and then covering them with salt and cooking on the stove top. I think the salt is mostly to transfer the heat. After peeling, she puts on some butter, puts the chestnut quickly into her mouth, and then wipes the dripping butter from her chin. It's been several years since Lisa shared this story with me but the image is firmly imprinted on my mind. :)
Merry Christmas,
Harvey
Patty in Wisc
12-21-2008, 02:17 AM
I saw an ad today in local flyer that chestnuts are for sale at my grocery for $3.99 lb. Don't know where they came from, but I'm buying some to try!
So, I should boil some & then roast some just plain in the oven? I'd like to try both ways. How are they raw? Nevermind, I'll find out soon LOL.
harveyc
12-21-2008, 11:36 AM
Patti, most of the time the ones in stores are imported from Italy. Usually they don't look very nice as they are required to fumigate imported chestnuts with methyl bromide to kill any chestnut blight spores and weevil larvae (I don't have either of these problems in my area). The biggest problem with store-bought chestnuts is that the majority of the time they have not been refrigerated adequately and not kept moist. Partially dried chestnuts spoil faster than moist ones. Many times each year I have customers tell me of their unpleasant experiences with store-bought chestnuts. Sometimes they are okay, though.
When purchasing them it is best to squeeze them to see if the kernels are still plump or if they have been allowed to dry out. If they aren't refrigerated, you you might be able to ask someone in the produce department if they can get you some from a bag in their cooler. However, chestnuts might be moving quickly now so even the ones on display might be okay. Sometimes the problems can even take place while transported by ship if the container was not cold enough (30F is ideal; chestnuts freeze at 25F).
I personally would only boil them if they were too dry. It's good for them to be dried just a little before roasting, just to the point where the shell has a little "give" to it when squeezed. The chestnut is sweeter at this stage and it also makes it easier to steam loose the pellicle (skin on the kernel) during roasting if there is some gap. I prefer roasting over a special pan with holes in the bottom (during the season I sell these but Mitchel also reported earlier in another thread that his mom had bought him essentially the same thing sold as a BBQ accessory). I prefer roasting over a fire as I like the toasted flavor it gives. You can use the stove top if you have a gas burner or you can even use your BBQ had just turn the nuts with tongs. Some of my customers that eat a lot of chestnuts (10 pounds per week) report they use toaster ovens. In regular oven, about 25-30 minutes at 350F is about right, though it will vary depending on the size of the chestnut and how dried they were to begin with.
Good luck and Merry Christmas!
Harvey
Chironex
12-21-2008, 01:59 PM
I just tasted my first roasted chestnuts yesterday while visiting Chinatown. They were quite tasty and a pleasant change.
momoese
12-21-2008, 04:01 PM
Many times each year I have customers tell me of their unpleasant experiences with store-bought chestnuts. Sometimes they are okay, though.
That has pretty much been my experience too. I even bought some once and found mold growing on them after a few days in the fridge. Inside they seemed ok but I was too freaked out to eat them. Are they safe to eat if a little mold is growing on the outside?
I was at whole foods yesterday and they had some pretty nice looking ones but they were not refrigerated.
harveyc
12-21-2008, 05:47 PM
Most of the time the chestnuts are fine to eat if they just have some slight mold on the outside. The spores are present naturally but that still doesn't make it desirable.
I've sometimes had problems myself, especially when new member to the harvest help don't quite follow directions. Storing chestnuts in poly bags will help boost CO2 levels which inhibits mold but oxygen should not drop below about 4% or the nuts will die and then still spoil. The best thing is to store them as cold as possible without freezing. In my own refrigerator, I've found that the meat drawer is about 30F so that might work out good for most.
Sometimes the chestnuts at Whole Foods are terrible but other times they are fine. I think if the inventory moves fast enough, like it should right now, they are probably okay. Still, the more hands they go through the more room for mistakes.
I've had two customers out of a little over 600 this year tell me of mold problems and I suspect it's most likely because of some shipments getting put in warm containers, etc. during transit. This year I started using mesh bags and putting ventilation holes in shipping boxes to reduce humidity slightly. I just try to control it as much as I can and it usually works out well.
Patty in Wisc
12-23-2008, 01:07 AM
Bought some chestnuts on way home this eve at the specialty market. I read your directions Harvey -- thanks. I squeezed everyone in my bag (about 18) & they were firm but had some give. I only saw 2 on table with a little mold on them.
I found my steamer insert (it has holes in it) & only put 4 on it & put it on my gas burner on low. They looked like they were coloring on bottom so I turned one over & it exploded. I jumped 30 ft & screamed. Thought I'd been shot LOL It split & opened up to soft white stuff. I was surprised how sweet it is! Very different.
I don't know if they were good or bad nuts. Are they s'posed to be soft all the way thru? They were more firm in center. Not done enough?
I'll do the rest Christmas day for us to taste. The recipe cooked in salt with butter on the meat sounds good too! Did you try that Harvey? I just might.
Since they were referred to as "crawfish", I used a seafood fork & then progressed to gnawing the meat from the shell with my teeth.
I finally had CHESTNUTS roasted on a open fire.
harveyc
12-23-2008, 03:00 AM
LOL, Patty. The written instructions I send my customers stress the importance of slitting the shells of the nut to allow the steam to escape to avoid such "explosions". I've slit some inadequately when in a rush to sample a various variety, etc. where I typically will cook just one or two in the microwave for a quick evaluation. Well, when I haven't slit them enough, they've really exploded and made a mess all over the inside of the microwave so I had to do a thorough cleaning.
It sounds like you did not cook yours completely though I personally don't mind the center being a bit crunchy either.
Thanks for the laugh, Patty! :D
Chironex
12-23-2008, 03:35 AM
they looked like they were coloring on bottom so I turned one over & it exploded. I jumped 30 ft & screamed. Thought I'd been shot LOL
I can see who will be doing the jokes and cartoons in the new magazine. I am still laughing about the Cose Juervo Chrishmas thingies!!! OMG, I was in tears! Awshome!
Can't wait until your next adventure in the kitchen! Can you picture the column now:
"Patty's Kitchen Kapers"
Patty in Wisc
12-23-2008, 03:31 PM
and don't forget to throw the stove in the dishwasher!
LOLOL
Patty in Wisc
12-10-2009, 03:45 PM
Even though I know Harvey is sold out for the year, I thought I'd bump this up at least for the recipe's & "how to" for chestnuts.
harveyc
12-10-2009, 03:51 PM
Patty, I actually have about 70 pounds of my medium size Colossal (had around 8,500 pounds to begin with), but I'll probably sell out tomorrow or Saturday.
Thanks,
Harvey
Patty in Wisc
12-10-2009, 04:26 PM
Oh, sorry. If I bumped this sooner, you'd be out of those by now LOL. I remember you saying that you were out of the large ones.
harveyc
12-11-2009, 12:47 AM
Now I'm sold out. :)
supermario
01-01-2010, 01:59 AM
I'm surprised I didn't find this thread earlier!
I purchased chestnuts about a month ago. I tried them raw and they were tasty at first, but quickly began to taste very astringent... So, my questions are:
Are they still edible?(Might be two months old..my concept of time is terrible!)
How do I prepare them properly?.. Can I cook them on my gas grill?.. If so, how long do I cook them for? Is there any sign of doneness that I should look for??
Thanks in advance and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
:woohoonaner: :woohoonaner: :woohoonaner: :woohoonaner:
harveyc
01-01-2010, 02:50 AM
Hey, Mario, where you been that you've missed this thread??!!! :ha:
If you've refrigerated them well and prevented them from drying out, the chestnuts may still be good to go. Most chestnuts have tannins which cause the bitterness, though the Chinese species have less of that but then have a different taste and texture than many people are accustomed to. The chestnuts can be roasted on the grill but you MUST first slit them with a knife to avoid them bursting open as steam builds up in the shell. The roasting eliminates the tannin taste ....oh, you do want to make sure you peel the pellicle (skin) off of the kernel as that has lots of tannin....and roasting over a fire (grill or oherwise) is my favorite method as it gives the chestnut a toasted flavor. Roast them long enough for the shell peel back partially, which will vary depending on hot your fire is. Good luck!
Harvey
jeffreyp
01-01-2010, 10:55 AM
The american chestnut foundation is introducing hybrid (1/16 chinese) american chestnuts back into the wild. They are immune / resistant to the spores that killed off the original plants.
harveyc
01-01-2010, 10:59 AM
The american chestnut foundation is introducing hybrid (1/16 chinese) american chestnuts back into the wild. They are immune / resistant to the spores that killed off the original plants.
I'm a member of the ACF. It will take many years before we know if the hybrids are truly resistant to all strains of chestnut blight found in the wild, but hopes are high that one day our grandchildren will see large numbers of chestnuts growing in the forests.
jeffreyp
01-01-2010, 12:11 PM
It would be cool if the tree could be restored to its former glory. Perhaps with alot of will power and determination it can happen.
Abnshrek
01-02-2010, 12:23 AM
You know until I read this thread I have always thought that "Roasting Chest nuts over an open fire" song was just that.. too funny. :^)
I've seen many of nuts explode in many of my fires. Nuts and Fire don't mix well.. lmao
vBulletin® v3.6.8, Copyright ©2000-2020, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.