What are chestnuts?
By Chelsie Vandaveer
November 24, 2003
Chesten-trees or chestnuts comprise twelve species of the genus Castanea Miller. The trees are native to the north temperate zones. Depending upon the species, the tree bears one to seven nuts inside a bur-like hull. John Gerard described it as "a prickly huske like unto a hedge-hog".
The trees have been a source of food since long before there were civilizations. Native Americans gathered the nuts of Castanea dentata in the autumn for food through the winter as did early Eurasian peoples gather the nuts of Castanea sativa. The Japanese used Castanea crenata and the Chinese and Koreans had Castanea mollissima.
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Chestnuts by Carlos Von Riefel
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The Greeks called the tree, kastanos, the Romans called it, castanea. Romans probably introduced the chestnut to the British Isles. Gerard warned that "...unlesse the shell be first cut, they skip suddenly with a cracke out of the fire whilest they be rosting." He mentioned that the raw dried nuts ground into meal made a crude bread, "dry and brittle", yet the "...meale of Chestnuts and hony is very good against the cough...." (The Herbal, 1633 edition)
Mrs. Grieve recommended the leaves picked in June and July and dried for future use in a tea. The leaves infused were "a popular remedy in fever and ague, for their tonic and astringent properties....their efficacy in paroxysmal and convulsive coughs, such as whooping-cough, and in other...conditions of the respiratory organs." (A Modern Herbal, 1931, 1996 reprint)
Chestnuts have long been associated with a meal of roast pheasant and later, with roast turkey serving either as a stuffing or a side dish.
Sandy's Holiday Chestnut Puree
(This is very rich, very good, and is served with turkey or a pork roast)
1 pound firm, plumb, and uniformed colored chestnuts (~2 cups)
Boil chestnuts with shells intact for approximately 45 minutes, drain.
Using a sharp, stiff-bladed knife (paring knife) score the nuts while still warm and remove meat from shell, remove any membranes. Discard any discolored, wrinkled, or odd nutmeats.
Mash the nuts together with
¼ to ½ cup of warm heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter and
¼ to ½ cup chicken stock.
Salt and pepper to taste.
The amounts of cream and chicken stock depend upon personal preferences for consistency.
(Recipe from Sandy Lee, Key West, FL)
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