Great news! Autumn has come (in my part of the world) and that means it’s time for mushrooms and chestnuts. I love Autumn for its abundance in foods, colors and weather types ?. Plus it means my birthday is coming up. I heard autumn children suffer from winter depression less often and that fits my experience. I really appreciate all seasons equally.

Now for the chestnuts ?: go find a beautiful spot for foraging, look out for the green spikey bolsters on the ground. Use your foot to roll them open so you can take them out by hand easily. You can easily bring home several kilos but be sure to leave at least as much for the animals and other people!

At home, use a small, sharp knife to carve a cross in the skin. Then put in the oven at 220 degrees for about 25 minutes or so. It’s now easy to remove the skin and enjoy your yield. Best served warm!

Pro tips for removing the skin:

1. Use a teaspoon. Slide it under the skin (convex side up) and gently wiggle. Saves your nails :).

2. The longer you hear the chestnuts, the dryer they become and the easier it will be to take them out of their skin. Find the middle way that is perfect for you (the above mentioned 25 minutes is a good start!)