Do you Chestnut 🌰?

[Bolti]

Sweet chestnut trees are scarce in these parts, I only know of one mature tree that I'm guessing is a Spanish Chestnut, but I haven't had a chance to check it out as it's across a farmer's field. The last lot I picked were from a huge tree at the entrance to the Canterbury C&CC site and ended up in our Christmas turkey.
Our village transformed a bit of waste ground into a "copse" planted loads of native hardwoods (too many hazels in my opinion !) hornbeam, rowan and oak and I keep thinking about bringing on some sweet chestnut and planting them in there ?

How far are you from Levens hall? Quite a few sweet chestnut trees in the deer park across the road.

 

[jockaneezer]

How far are you from Levens hall? Quite a few sweet chestnut trees in the deer park across the road.

Nearly 70 miles away plus I'd have to buy the missus lunch at Sizergh Barn on the way down !

 

[Bolti]

Nearly 70 miles away plus I'd have to buy the missus lunch at Sizergh Barn on the way down !

But think of the Brownie points accrued.

 

[Derek’soldvan]

Once you’ve de-shelled & skinned, if you don’t eat ‘em/save em for that occasion it’s to early to mention, dry them, put in food processor & use as a flour, lovely cakes for a gluten free option (I’m not trendy, sadly coeliac).

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
Portugal is one of the leading exporters of Chestnuts/Castanhas. I cut a cross in them,heat them in a dry frying pan,shell them,sprinkle salt on them,then fire them down the bone chute. Love them,have a tree in the orchard,result.
Tea Bag

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Detnor]

 

[Bolti]

First haul of the year

 

[Riverbankannie]

I have been gathering every day this past week, peeling and freezing. They are slow to fall this year at my local trees. I do like to wait for the big ones though.
I picked up so many last year that I froze a bag full that I hand just washed, not shelled. It does work and i can pull some out of the freezer and put in boiling water to peel in the usual way.

 

[Spriddler]

No chestnut trees in my walking area but for 20yrs I've collected conkers and put a fresh one in each corner of every room to keep spiders away and it certainly seems to work.

 

[Chasnam]

We have jut picked 4 kilos in France at our friends place near limoges a bit of work when we get home!
Chasnam

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Rapido925M]

We were having a birthday party at High Lodge, Thetford last weekend. The van was next to two sweet chestnut trees but the nuts were small and wrinkly.
However, close to the visitor centre there were plenty of large, firm ones so we collected quite a few.

Gordon
(On the way home we stopped at the Sweet Corn Man at Breckles: lovely juicy cobs at 10 for £4! )

 

[Riverbankannie]

We have jut picked 4 kilos in France at our friends place near limoges a bit of work when we get home!
Chasnam

When i picked mine in France and brought them home they all the tiny maggots hatched in the carrier bag! Finished up with a bag of wrigglers and dust where they had burrowed their way out.
Had to chuck them all away.

 

[Bolti]

When i picked mine in France and brought them home they all the tiny maggots hatched in the carrier bag! Finished up with a bag of wrigglers and dust where they had burrowed their way out.
Had to chuck them all away.

Peeled all mine today. All firm and clean, yet often when I buy from a supermarket or roast chestnut seller half of them are rotten.

 

[busbuddy]

I remember, as a small child, it was my job to sit next to the open fire and turn the chestnuts that were balanced on the grate....and then peel them with a metal nail file.....not seen one since then.
Thanks for giving me back a childhood memory from 50 years ago I had long forgotten and what happened to metal nail files

 

[Riverbankannie]

I remember, as a small child, it was my job to sit next to the open fire and turn the chestnuts that were balanced on the grate....and then peel them with a metal nail file.....not seen one since then.
Thanks for giving me back a childhood memory from 50 years ago I had long forgotten and what happened to metal nail files

I still have one but never used it on chestnuts !

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}