"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire . . . "
So how many Utahns even know what the song's about?
No, "The Christmas Song" isn't talking about the Utah horse chestnuts that grow on trees — they're not edible. Nor does it describe the water chestnuts in Chinese stir-fry dishes — those are the roots of a plant that grows in freshwater lakes in Asia.
Transplanted Easterners will tell you about the corner vendors in New York and Chicago selling hot roasted chestnuts as a snack during the winter. And here, during the holidays, they pop up in a few grocery stores and produce markets. In Europe, chestnuts are a sweet, starchy winter staple, similar to potatoes. But for Utahns, they're a seasonal luxury. They sell for around $5 to $6 per pound, because most are imported from Italy.
There's a reason we're not familiar with chestnuts here. In 1904, Asian chestnut tree imports carried with them a bark fungus, and within 40 years, it killed almost all the 3 million native chestnut trees that covered the East and Midwest.
"The American chestnut that was wiped out was native to the Eastern United States," said Shawn Olsen, Utah State University Extension agent in Davis County. "It's been replaced by the Chinese chestnut, which also have edible nuts."
"Chestnut trees can be grown in Utah, except they may not be cold-hardy in some of the coldest locations."
Also, Utah has alkaline soil, which chestnut trees don't tolerate well, he added. So don't expect to see chestnuts become a major crop here.
On the other hand, you'll find lots of horse chestnut trees in Utah, but, again, their nuts aren't edible. "The most common use I've seen for them is boys throwing them at each other," Olsen said.
Several chestnut hybrids have been developed. In the early 1950s, a hunter discovered a single healthy chestnut tree in an Ohio forest that the blight had missed. He sent a cutting to Robert T. Dunstan, a plant breeder in Greensboro, N.C.
Dunstan grafted the American chestnut into Asian rootstock. By 1963, he had developed a hybrid Dunstan chestnut tree that produced nuts as big as ping-pong balls, and which was immune to the bark fungus. When he retired, he moved his operation to Alachua County, Fla., where his grandson, Robert Dunstan Wallace, carries on the tradition at Chestnut Hill Nursery and Orchards. The company sells its hybrid chestnut trees to farmers, such as William Tancig of Oak Park, Ga., who hope to build up the supply of American chestnuts. In the December 1999 issue of "Cooking Light," Tancig says he now has about 100 chestnut trees in his orchard.
Cheaper, more plentiful chestnuts would be a boon to dieters, since they have the lowest fat and calorie content of all the main edible nuts. An ounce of shelled chestnuts has 54 calories; peanuts have 170 calories and macadamias have 209 calories per ounce.
In Italy, chestnuts are part of the Mediterranean diet. Back in the Middle Ages, they became the staple food of the peasants, according to the Italian Chestnut Importers Association. Their cultivation spread throughout the Italian peninsula, because they could be grown on steep mountain slopes, and they could sustain people through the long winter months.
On the tree, the chestnuts are encased in burrs. During harvest, the burrs come off, and the fresh nuts are sold with the hard shell remaining.
Chestnuts are about 50 percent moisture, and if they're left sitting out on the counter, the nut inside will shrivel and harden into jaw-breaking material. Also, they're likely to get moldy. So buy from a store that sells a lot of them (they're likely to be more fresh) and store them in the vegetable bin at the "high-humidity" setting.
"They're like bananas, you really should use them as soon as you buy them," said Sam Granato of Frank Granato Importing Company. Every year, his store carries imported Italian chestnuts.
To roast fresh chestnuts, cut an "X" into the flat side of each nut with a sharp knife. Make sure you cut all the way through the shell. Spread them out on a baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with water. Roast at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. The nuts are done when the shell curls away from the cut and the meat is soft and translucent. They're easiest to peel when they're hot. (If you want to do your roasting over an open fire, you'll have to guess-timate the time and temperature.)
While it doesn't have as much romance, microwaving is actually a lot easier, says Granato. He punctures the nut's shell with a sharp knife to make a vent for the steam to escape. (Otherwise, it could explode during cooking), and zaps it about 15 seconds for one nut. To cook a dozen at a time, the Italian Chestnut Importers Association advises placing the pierced nuts around the outer edge of a paper plate, and cooking on high for 1 to 2 minutes.
And by the way, "The Christmas Song" was written by Robert Wells and singer Mel Torm in 1944. Thanks to Nat King Cole's 1946 recording, it became the classic that is so well-known today.
E-MAIL: vphillips@desnews.com
CHESTNUT CHOCOLATE BARK
2 cups roasted, peeled, chopped chestnuts
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup golden raisins, dried tart cherries or cubed dried apricots
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed 10-by-15-baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside. Lay the chestnuts in a single layer on another baking sheet and toast, stirring once or twice, until golden and fragrant, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Place about 2/3 of the chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a metal bowl. Place over a pot of simmering water and let the chocolate melt slowly while stirring. Transfer the double boiler top to a trivet and add remaining chocolate. Stir until melted.
In a large bowl, combine chocolate and chestnuts. Scrape mixture onto the foil-lined pan and spread slightly smaller than the pan. Sprinkle raisins or dried fruit over the top. Let cool until firm, at least 4 hours. Break bark into pieces and serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
CHESTNUT STUFFING
1 1/2 cups wild rice
Chicken stock to cook rice
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds pearl onions, peeled
3 cups roasted, peeled, chopped Italian chestnuts
Leaves from 4 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
Cook wild rice according to package directions, using chicken stock. In a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter and add oil. Add onions and sauté until golden, about 3-5 minutes. Add chestnuts and thyme, and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes. Add wild rice and more stock if mixture seems dry. Adjust seasonings.
Fluff stuffing with fork before loosely filling cavity of the bird; roast immediately.