 |
| Wait until they are brown and fallen from the tree |
The transition from Superbrand to a twelve month
 |
| Choose the fat, dark ones |
sabbatical
is underway. To kick start my stress-free, altruistic, spiritual*, organic
existence, this afternoon’s task was to embrace the sweet chestnut. Our region
of the Charente (see September 2013 – Back to 2002 and now full circle) is
famous for sweet chestnuts which grow absolutely everywhere, I have learned
(today) due to the granite adjoining the ‘cold lands’ of the neighboring Limousin region. Groups
of cane-wielding locals can be seen foraging and filling their baskets daily in
the autumn so I set out to follow them and despite lack of cane (whose purpose
I was unable to deduce), I soon had a bagful.
 |
| Ready for some cooking |
Regarding the challenge of peeling the little blighters, I
need not have feared; the preferred local method (reluctantly shared with a
foreigner like me) is to cut a cross in the shell, plunge in cold water, bring
to the boil for three minutes then remove. To my immense surprise, the peel
came off each chestnut in one piece and a bowl of energy rich, gluten free, low calorie, mineral
abundant goodies sat atop the counter in minutes.
The healthy cookery possibilities are endless from chestnut and
chocolate cake, through chestnut with venison or pork to soup, and all this
abundance for no cost at all just outside the back door. I see Delia Smith
recommends buying them vacuum packed; tish pish to Delia I say, not spiritual
at all!
* in the context of the
opposite of materialistic
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