Christmas Articles - Fireplaces We’re Made For Chesnuts
“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire/Jack Frost nipping at your nose…”
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When chestnuts are mentioned, the first thing most people think about is these lyrics from “The Christmas Song” which has been performed by musicians such as Celine Dion, Jessica Simpson and even N’Sync.
But there are more uses for the chestnut than just fireplaces and Christmas songs.
Native to warmer temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere, the chestnut actually comes from a fruit. The trees have simple, oval leaves and bare fruit with a spiny shell. The shell itself contains about one to seven nuts.
When you look at history, the chestnuts have had their share in events. The nuts are an important food in crop in Southern Europe, southwestern and eastern Asia.
In southern Europe in the Middle Ages, forest-dwelling communities relied on chestnuts as their main source of carbohydrates because they had no access to wheat flour.
Aside from being used to make wood, chestnuts are starting to make a major appearance in food that’s served today. The nuts can be candied, boiled, or roasted at a moderate temperature.
In order to be more traditional, restaurants are now grinding chestnuts into flour and then using them to prepare bread, cakes and pasta.
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But if you’d rather buy chestnuts from the grocery store than enjoy them at a fancy restaurant, here are some tips at picking and storing the nut.
The main thing to look for when choosing chestnuts anywhere is to make sure it has a glossy brown shell. Once put in a plastic bag, the chestnuts will store for as long as two weeks in the refrigerator.
When cooking, make sure to make a small “X” on the flat side of the nut to prevent the shell from bursting.
During Christmas, most people simply roast the chestnuts and eat them as a snack instead of using them in a dish.
This has become a tradition for many years and has been one of the things most people think about when Christmas comes along. This just shows you, how nutty people are over chestnuts.
If you’re tired of sitting in front of the fireplace, try these delicious recipes.
Wild Rice with Chestnuts
http://www.recipeland.com/recipe/25728/
Salmon with Cabbage, Chestnuts and Bacon
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