Chestnuts

Chestnuts are one of the delights of the Christmas season. They are amazing just roasted but they are also a great part of a robust meat dish, so this week we thought we would celebrate all things chestnut.
 
Chestnuts go particularly well with pork. Bacon, especially  pairs well with chestnuts because the smoky, salty flavour of the bacon complements the nutty, earthy taste of the chestnuts. The robust, earthy taste of chestnuts complements the strong flavours of game meats and red wine, adding depth and complexity to dishes.
 
Countries from around the world have their own favourite chestnut traditions and here are some of my favourites:

There is Italian sausage & chestnut pasta. A mix of sausage meat and chestnut chunks creates a rich and nutty pasta sauce, lifting this from an everyday dish to something special
 
 

A British beef and chestnut sausage roll. A giant beef and chestnut sausage roll – made with chestnuts, blue cheese and caramelised onion chutney.

 
Chestnuts are also favourites in China where dishes include Braised Chicken with Chestnut – a dish from Sichuan.

 
And Chinese Fried Chestnuts With Honey Recipe

 
French crêpes made with chestnut flour. In fact this recipe is not made with 100% chestnut flour otherwise the taste might be too strong so it’s a mix with wheat flour but you can use your usual cornstarch, rice, or other flour if you want a gluten-free recipe.
 
Table Talk
Chestnuts have been an important part of the European diet for millennia. Alexander the Great and the Romans planted chestnut trees across Europe while on their various campaigns. A Greek army is said to have survived their retreat from Asia Minor in 401–399 BC thanks to their stores of chestnuts and Ancient Greeks, such as Dioscorides and Galen, wrote of the medicinal benefits of chestnuts —and of their sometimes windy side effects. In fact until the introduction of the potato, whole forest-dwelling communities which had scarce access to wheat flour relied on chestnuts as their main source of carbohydrates.
 

We offer an amazing range of chestnut treats – both savoury and sweet, including our chestnut and pork stuffing. We have an amazing Saucerer Wild Mushroom & Truffle Pesto and our Porter Marron Glaces of plump chestnuts, individually wrapped, ready to offer a sweeter than sweet, festive treat for family, friends, or a moment of self-indulgence.