We’re still enjoying summertime, but the calendar tells us that the autumn will set in quicker than we expect. This means more rain, colder weather, and the smell of roasted chestnuts.
Autumn and winter times are usually when roasted chestnuts take over the streets of major cities in Europe, East Asia, and America. They’re especially popular in New York City, where street vendors have been selling them for more than a century.
Despite being commonly viewed as street food, roasted chestnuts can also be made at home. Still, most people prefer to buy them as homemade, even though they don’t taste the same. But have you ever wondered why?
Well, the obvious answer is that the street vendors know how to roast them to perfection. They have their tricks and hacks to make roasted chestnuts so tasty that you always want to get back for more. But this doesn’t mean you can’t replicate their magic in your home.
As it turns out, most of the magic boils down to just one simple trick. Before you pop the chestnuts in the oven, you need to soak them in water.
First carve an “x” on the flat side of each chestnut and then put the bunch in a bowl of water. Leave them to bathe anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes and then drain them. Soaked chestnuts won’t dry up or burn during roasting, while the water will also make them peel easier.
Preheat the oven, pop them in, and enjoy chestnuts roasted to perfection.
