Chestnuts

I've bought Italian chestnuts in Lidl and Waitrose recently and they've been fine.

Oh, not old jokes then

www.youtube.com/watch?v=__kQ1PCP6B0

(Couldn't resist!)

Thanks Deedaa, will look.
Very droll DaphneBroon

I have always loved chestnuts but have practically given up on the 'fresh' ones now. I recently bought some chestnuts and out of a whole net there were only three of them which had no rotten bits in. It has put me right off them. I needed some for a recipe so had to resort to some peeled and cooked and sold in a 'gourmet' labelled plastic bag at an exorbitant price. It will be quite a while before I bother again - if ever!

Daphne

I too love chestnuts but last year the quality was really poor with bad ones old crinkled ones and generally nothing like as fresh and nice as they should be so not bothered this year Nuts are very expensive too

How would you cook chestnuts without an open fire? Love them but not bought them for years

It's been a pretty good year for wild chestnuts - we have found some pretty big ones on our walks and have usually managed a pocketful, but I tried roasting them in the oven and they were not particularly successful - you had to eat them with a spoon, but they were quite delicious! I haven't bought any imported ones for ages, though I was tempted to get some from the hot chestnut man in town the other day!

I haven't noticed any fresh ones in the shops yet, must have another look.
You can buy them in jars here, ready cooked? Not too expensive. They're good in stuffing for chickens, turkeys etc. Just mash with a fork.

They have to pop don't they?

I saw a chestnut honey the other day I won't say where for fear of being called a boaster again but has anyone tried it? It looked lovely, around £10 a jar I think. I used to make a chestnut sauce to go with pancakes when we lived in France.

I used to roast mine in the oven. But beware, if you don't make a slit in them , they explode.
Has a nasty experience with them one time.

Have now given up roasting them in the oven as they generally end up hard and dry.

Open coals are the best way, but not many of us have one of those nowadays.