[Sca-cooks] Chestnuts - Revisited

[Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius]

On Dec 2, 2005, at 5:07 AM, Terri Morgan wrote:

>    We roasted some (quite by accident, at first) at a demo that we  
> attend
> every year. Our firepit was close enough to a massive tree that a few
> chestnuts made their way into the coals. They were quite tasty -  
> but before
> we learned that, we were dodging chestnut-missiles as they exploded  
> from the
> firebed. As far as I can tell, so long as they are relatively  
> fresh, the
> moisture inside of them is going to be enough to pop the shell open  
> for you
> (this might be why some recipes call for soaking them) and propel  
> them with
> some force.
>    Make sure you have a covered pan that can release steam (we used a
> popcorn-popping cast iron pan) and I hope your family enjoys the  
> experience.
> The taste is wonderful and for all that few of us had ever eaten  
> "chestnuts
> roasted on an open fire", we all agreed that somehow it touched a  
> mutual
> memory-chord.

  You can still sometimes see chestnut roasted chestnut vendors with  
little carts with a sort of firebox-and-griddle arrangement on New  
York streets in the winters. The rest of the year they sell hot  
pretzels from the same carts, but the popular local wisdom on the  
subject is that you cut a little cross-shaped opening in the pointed,  
"blossom end" of the shell with a sharp knife. This not only makes  
them easier to shell, but also keeps them from exploding.

Adamantius


"S'ils n'ont pas de pain, vous fait-on dire, qu'ils  mangent de la  
brioche!" / "If there's no bread to be had, one has to say, let them  
eat cake!"
     -- attributed to an unnamed noblewoman by Jean-Jacques Rousseau,  
"Confessions", 1782

"Why don't they get new jobs if they're unhappy -- or go on Prozac?"
     -- Susan Sheybani, assistant to Bush campaign spokesman Terry  
Holt, 07/29/04