Chestnuts!

leeky · « **on:** October 01, 2007, 19:26 »

Hi!

Wandering up the woods today looking for Chestnuts. Only found some really small ones on the floor and I am not even sure they were actually chestnuts.

Could someone help me identify them, can't get no sense from Google. Also what is the difference between horse chestnut and regular chestnuts?

Is it even the right time to pick them?

cheers!

muntjac · « **Reply #1 on:** October 01, 2007, 19:29 »

if they are falling already its because they are now ready small dried out things . wait till the spikers fall and take a pair good gloves and gather them up . before the squirrels do . conkers .horse chestnuts are in a leather case with only a few spikes on .chestnuts feel like curled up hedgehogs . use ya foot to break them open by treading softly and twisting the foot . the bigger ones wil be fine store in atotally dry place or they will go green and mouldy . horse chestnuts are toxic . .you can catch fish using them tho

leeky · « **Reply #2 on:** October 01, 2007, 19:38 »

ahh. cheers Munty. So horse chestnuts are conkers and therefore inedible.

Yep the wood floor was littered with the spikeys, all of really small size. Broke/cut several open and nuts were miniscule. They were chestnuts after all then? Just tiny.

cool!

muntjac · « **Reply #3 on:** October 01, 2007, 19:44 »

yes to both , weatheraffects them being small ,what you have found are probably windfalls if you break open a lot towards the end this month they should be better

leeky · « **Reply #4 on:** October 01, 2007, 19:52 »

Righto. I need my chestnut fix. love em!

muntjac · « **Reply #5 on:** October 01, 2007, 19:53 »

we have loads of trees on the estate im gonna be getting my share as well lol

shaun · « **Reply #6 on:** October 01, 2007, 20:03 »

boil em or roast em ?

muntjac · « **Reply #7 on:** October 01, 2007, 20:05 »

boiled with blackcurrants is nice ,, but roasted cant be beaten

gobs · « **Reply #8 on:** October 01, 2007, 20:13 »

you mostly boil only to be used mashed for stuffings and fillings in cakes, in which case, it needs to be diluted to a great degree with cream, yummy.

gobs · « **Reply #9 on:** October 01, 2007, 20:16 »

That just reminds me of a guy, who used sell them roast pumpkins and chestnuts in the winter back home, and kept shouting: fresh and warm me nuts are ladies :shock: :shock: :shock:

mumsy · « **Reply #10 on:** October 01, 2007, 20:17 »

Hello
Take a look at this
http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=chestnuts&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2
Should help you
Love
Mumsy

shaun · « **Reply #11 on:** October 01, 2007, 20:22 »

I like em boiled whole(not mashed) and served with brussel sprouts

gobs · « **Reply #12 on:** October 01, 2007, 20:30 »

they are nice with sprouts, but my taste buds are with Munty on this one, roasted is a better grade for me.

shaun · « **Reply #13 on:** October 01, 2007, 20:33 »

the only thing with roasting them is 99% of them are burnt to a crisp

.

gobs · « **Reply #14 on:** October 01, 2007, 20:37 »

I'm sure you will be enlightened from someone much more experienced about how to do it proply.