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| Castanea Sativa (Spanish Chestnuts) are the original castanets, but they are also delicious UHG |
As this year’s prickly pears begin to disappear, the
chestnuts, num nums and kei-apples are in full swing. It seems that autumn is not only
mushroom season in Cape Town, but also ‘the spiky season’.
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| For some folks chestnuts are a nuisance UHG |
Foraging for chestnuts is a lot less hard-core than a
prickly pear mission, but it is for this reason that the competition is
stronger. The squirrels are in a league of their own, but there are plenty of
other people who know just how delicious these nuts are. Members of the Asian community
in Cape Town are particularly fond of chestnuts and for good reason. If you stumble
upon some that are ripe for the picking, then pick them! …Because it’s unlikely they’ll be
around the next day. On my recent forage, a kindly Korean couple, having got there before me, took
pity on me with my empty basket and shared their harvest.
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| Inside the spiky pod are nuggets of yumminess Mans |
The chestnuts you want are on the
ground, the pods turning brown where they have started to split. You can easily
prize them open with your feet and carefully remove the shiny brown nubbins of
deliciousness with your fingers. Once you have a full bowl in your kitchen, don’t leave them hanging about as they need to be used quickly to do them the
justice they deserve.
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| Aaaah! Now I know why some horses are described as chestnut colour UHG |
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| Isn't that a comforting site? The smell is warm and cosy too UHG |
Boil, roast in the oven or in a dry pan or, best of all, roast
them over some glowing wood embers. Just remember to cut a cross in each one to
avoid them exploding all over the show. If you get a perfectly ripe one and do
a good job of cooking it, the bitter pith is easy to remove. But I don’t get
too fussy about all that: I peel what comes off easily and ignore the rest. The
comforting smell of chestnuts happily roasting is like a giant reassuring hug and
when you pop one in your mouth they are rich, nutty and sweet. If you want to
get all cheffy, try finely slicing them raw and use as a garnish.
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| How the squirrels get to the nuts is a mystery! UHG |
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| If you get to the tree first, your baskets will be laden UHG |
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| A nubbin of butter and a sprinkle of salt and pepper is all that is needed UHG |
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| I'm already looking forward to next autumn Mans |
