Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Chestnuts Making a Comeback-- Part 4

DUNSTANS:

The blight resistant Dunstan chestnut is named for Robert Dunstan, a plant breeder in North Carolina who, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, crossed the American chestnut with blight-resistant Chinese chestnut trees. It was the first chestnut to receive a U.S. plant patent.

ABOUT THE CHESTNUT:

Half to 1 inch in diameter (Chinese are generally larger).  Chestnuts are  brown with a pointed end.  The interior edible portion is called the kernel.

EATING CHESTNUTS:

The starchy nuts have about half the calories of other nuts.  They have a potatolike consistency when cooked.  Before cooking chestnuts, score them with a sharp knife to penetrate the shell to prevent the nut from bursting during cooking.  Nothing worse than chestnuts exploding in the air.

FAT CONTENT:  Chestnut 4-5%, Hazelnut 62% Pecan 71%

GETTING YOUR CHESTNUTS:



LOCALLY:  Near North Side Farmers Market, Beverly Farmers Market, Andersonville Market.  All in Chicago.

ONLINE:
www.chestnutridgeofpikecounty.com
www.chestnutgrowersinc.com

Maybe I'll get My "Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire" Someday.  --DaCoot

No comments: