Castaneas Treat

Richly flavored, starchy, chestnuts are popular cool season edible nuts of the northern hemisphere. The nuts are native to hilly forest of China, Japan, Europe, and North America. Botanically they belong to the beech or Fagaceae family of the genus: Castenea. Scientific name: Castanea sativa.

Castaneas are very large deciduous trees. They are monoecious, bearing both male and female flowers (“catkins”), in the same tree. They have a remarkable history to narrate. Early in the 20th century, the once mighty American-chestnut tree was mostly wiped out by pathogenic fungus chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica). A renewed interest has been growing since then to revive native chestnut trees throughout of the USA. 

Fresh chestnut fruits have about 180 calories (800 kJ) per 100 grams of edible parts, which is much lower than walnuts, almonds, other nuts and dried fruit (about 600 kcal/100 g). Chestnuts contain no cholesterol and contain very little fat, mostly unsaturated, and no gluten.

Their carbohydrate content compares with that of wheat and rice; chestnuts have twice as much starch as the potato. In addition, chestnuts contain about 8 percent of various sugars, mainly sucrose, glucose, fructose, and, in less amount, stachyose, and raffinose.In some areas, sweet chestnut trees are called "the bread tree". When chestnuts are just starting to ripen, the fruit is mostly starch and is very firm under finger pressure from the high water content. As the chestnuts ripen, the starch is slowly converted into sugars; and moisture content also starts decreasing. Upon pressing the chestnut, a slight 'give' can be felt; the hull is not so tense, and there is space between it and the flesh of the fruit. The water is being replaced by sugars, which means better conservation. (Source: Wikipedia) 

The boiled or asphalt-cooked (roasted) breadnuts are high in protein and low in fat. It is truly expensive in my home country (almost $2 for 0.25KG). On the other hand, this the most tastier type of nut one can savor and its peelabity is one of the best feature it can offer. Its selling season is very rampant during Christmas maybe because it is costly and people only can afford more during this season. 

The seeds are encased out of a thick gooey coating and then they are roasted for quite a long time. I wish to find a place where these can be bought but I think I might have a hard time.