Christmas eve| Chestnuts roasting on an open fire: The beginning of this “Merry Christmas” song always seems to emit some toasty fuzzies throughout my body when feeling frozen here in Tundraville. And of course I know you’re all excited that Santa is on his way and instead of leaving him just cookies, you might want to choose giving him some chestnuts too. Santa could stand to shed a few pounds, and his reindeer would probably appreciate less weight and enjoy nibbling on some these as well.
Chestnuts have been eaten since prehistoric times and were found in Mediterranean regions and Asia. Today about 100 varieties of chestnut trees exist. They can be produced in clusters or just a single large nut. They’ve been eaten by Native Americans for a long time and are very popular in Europe. The French call the single nut “marrons” and small ordinary ones are called “chataignes.” An inedible type is the “horse chestnut.” Chestnut is related to the beechnut and chinkapin. Fresh chestnuts are usually available in the autumn and winter months. Chestnuts can be purchased peeled in cans or bottles all year long. They are slightly sweet in taste, low in fat, full of fiber, and high in starch. 10 kernels have about 206 calories, 2.67g protein, 44.5g carbs, 1.8g fat, and 4.3g fiber. They are an excellent source of B6 and vitamin C, has good potassium and folate content, and some manganese, copper, phosphorus and a tad of vitamin A. These sources benefit the heart, fertility in men, energy and helping colds.
How to choose and store: Look for firm, heavy chestnuts, with dark shiny shells. Unpeeled they can be stored in a cool, dry place for about a week, in the refrigerator for a month, or in the freezer for about six months.
How to prepare: Peeling them can be very tedious and time consuming. Cooking them beforehand can make them much easier to peel. Here’s a few ways to do it.
Boiling: Place chestnuts on cutting board or clean dish towel, flat side down. With a small, sharp knife, cut an X on top. They have special knives for this if you’re really into chestnuts! Boil in unsalted water for about 15-20 minutes. Drain and peel while still fairly hot if you can. After peeling you can get that roasted chestnut appeal by putting them in a shallow baking pan and broiling for a few minutes.
Roasting in oven: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Wipe chestnuts off with a damp cloth. Put X on them as done in boiling. This allows the steam to escape; they could explode if you don’t do this. Bake on X side up, for 20-30 minutes. If you over or under cook, the skin will be harder to open. You may want to do a test run, oven temps can vary. Cool a little, then peel.
Roasting on an open fire: Use a fireplace chestnut roaster, or a fireplace popcorn popper works too. Heat them up on a low fire for about 20-25 minutes. You can do the X thing on them or just let them burst in the roaster or popper. They’re done when the shells curl back or break open.
Like most nuts, there can be a few bad ones in every bunch. So make sure to cook a few extras. Serve your chestnuts in soups, stuffings, and rice dishes or just by themselves. Add a tablespoon of olive oil or a little bit of melted butter. Sprinkle Listening to The Christmas Song is a Christmas Eve tradition that families enjoy every year. Get into the spirit of Christmas Eve a little early by listening to the video clip below of Nat King Cole singing The Christmas Song.
There is something about Christmas time that really makes us appreciate spending time with our families even more. And there is christmas day 300x256 christmas song | chestnuts roasting on an open fire | christmas day | christmas evedefinitely something about hearing The Christmas Song that makes Christmas Eve and Christmas Day seem complete.
I don’t think a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day has gone by in my lifetime so far without sitting in a cozy room, looking at the Christmas tree all lit up, and listening to Christmas carols, especially The Christmas Song.
Listen to The Christmas Song below with your kids and get excited about Christmas!
