European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 25, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                In Europe chestnuts Hove never gone out of Favory Dorte Greenspan new York times his time of the year As americans Are singing about chestnuts europeans Are eating them. In Europe the nut a its Heady Smoky Aroma often wafting from briquette fixed Braziers on City streets a is More than a Harbinger of Holiday cheer and a Good stuffing for turkeys. It is a Hearty healthful great tasting food and a culinary Chameleon used to create both sweets and Savouries. Though it has t found a substantial following in the United states the situation May be changing As chefs Are finding renewed Appeal in the nut. Not so Long ago one fourth of the Trees in the Eastern United states were Chestnut. But at the turn of the 19th Century saplings from Asia introduced a fatal disease that by 1940 destroyed virtually All the american Chestnut Trees. Left untouched were the limited stands of Trees that grew in the american Northwest. The Chestnut s current obscurity is probably a result of generations of americans growing up without knowing the nut s flavor complexity or versatility. Among those who knew and loved chestnuts the blight killed the crop but not the craving. In France and Italy the annual per capita consumption of chestnuts is one Chestnut vendors Are common sights across Europe. This one is in Munich. A Pound compared with one ounce in the United states. Chestnuts were. Once so Basic that the French instead of saying someone lived on bread and water would say he made do on chestnuts. A the Chestnut Datres from ancient times. Roman soldiers spread Chestnut Trees throughout Europe As they expanded the Empire and indeed there remains a Competition Between Italy and France for the Honor of having created such Chestnut concoctions As Mont Blanc Monte Bianco in Italy sweetened Chestnut Puree served with whipped Cream. On a recent visit to Paris it was surprising to see How ubiquitous the nut was merchants decorated windows with chestnuts in their prickly outer burrs Berthilson Paris s Best ice Cream shop put Chestnut ice Cream on the menu. Supermarkets devoted whole sections to chestnuts a fresh canned bottled Frozen and ground sidewalk stands sold Chestnut filled crepes. In new. York outdoor vendors were hawking chestnuts but hedging their bets by Selling pretzels hot dogs and soft drinks and across the country a chefs began putting chestnuts on their menus in ways innovative enough to encourage new aficionados and old fashioned enough to please try lotion lists. Lydia Shire and Susan Regis of a a in Boston prepare Scarf shaped pasta filled with potatoes and chestnuts. In Chicago Charlie Trotter chef and owner of Charlie Trotters makes a creamy Chestnut flan Flavoured with cloves and cardamom at Rocke Wagner in los Angeles there will be Duck with roasted chestnuts. For now Many of these dishes Are prepared with imported chestnuts but if growers like the Bhagwandin and organizations like the american Chestnut foundation Are successful Home grown chestnuts will be As popular As the song. The nuts and bolts of chestnuts by the new York times chestnuts Are nutritionally More like potatoes or cereals than they Are like nuts. They Are very Low in fat Only 1 to 3 percent compared with about 50 percent for most other nuts Low in calories Only about 300 to a cup and High in starch which converts to sugar during curing and cooking. Chestnuts Are essentially a carbohydrate 50 percent and High in the kind of Complete protein found in a in latin languages there is a distinction made Between the two kinds of  chestnuts wild and cultivated. In France one distinguishes Between Chataigne the common Chestnut that grows wild which is comparatively Small and might have from three to five nuts in a Burr and matrons the larger More flavorful nut that grows one to two in a Burr. Beware the horse Chestnut which is not really a nut and is usually inedible and sometimes poisonous. Chestnuts Are harvested from the end of october through March. The shells of fresh chestnuts should be smooth and pleasantly leathery when you squeeze the nut it should be firm without an air space Between Shell and meat. Annie Bhagwandin of Northwest chestnuts which grows Sells and promotes the nut in Onalaska wash., cautions Quot never buy nuts that Are covered in plastic a they re dead. And stay away from nuts that Are under heat lamps or stored in warm places a they re dead  in most Homes the Best place to store chestnuts is in a mesh bag like a those in which onions Are sold in the refrigerator s crisper. For longer storage chestnuts can be Frozen in their shells and used without thawing. Chestnut flour should always be stored in the Freezer. The task of peeling chestnuts is Jess daunting than it appears the shiny shells come off easily. The inside skin takes a Little cajoling and is most easily removed when the nut is hot. Never heat a Chestnut in its Shell unless you be Cut the Shell in some Way. If you Don t make a steam vent you risk having the Chestnut explode a situation More Messy than dangerous. Either Cut an x in the Shell or remove a strip of it. The nuts can be shelled and peeled using several methods. Boil them in water for about 10 minutes and Peel them a few at time while they Are still hot leaving the remaining nuts submerged and hot roast them in a 350-degree oven on a baking tray spread the nuts out in a single layer and Sprinkle them with water until the outer Shell starts to curl where it has been Cut deep Fry them in Oil heated to 320 to 350 degrees until their shells curl about 3 minutes and Peel when Cool enough to handle or heat them in a microwave oven about 5 to 8 minutes until they Are pee Luble. The stars and Stripe recipes by the new York time Chestnut and sausage stuffing a a. To total time 30 minutes t cup cubed stale bread a cup milk 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter 10 ounces Tresh porcini or other mushrooms sliced i ounces prosciutto diced i cup shelled chestnuts fresh roasted canned or Frozen coarsely chopped 3 shallots peeled and chopped 2 cloves garlic peeled and chopped 1 Pound White meat sausage like Turkey sausage or Boudin Blanc 3 Tablespoons chopped Parsley 2 Teaspoons Winter Savory chopped or i Teaspoon dried 2 Large eggs beaten 3 Tablespoons Brandy i Teaspoon Salt a Teaspoon freshly ground White Pepper. 1. In a medium bowl Combine the bread and milk let soak. 2. Meanwhile heat 3 Tablespoons of the butter in a Skillet and add the mushrooms and prosciutto. Saute Over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the chestnuts shallots and garlic and saute 1 minute More. Empty into mixing bowl set aside. 3. Melt the remaining butter in the same Skillet and lightly Brown the sausage. When. Brown remove from the Skillet Cool to minutes Cut into chunks and process in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add the sausage to the mushroom prosciutto mixture along with the Parsley and Savory 4. Drain the bread and discard any excess milk. Fold the bread beaten eggs and Brandy into the stuffing mixture toss lightly to Combine ingredients season with Salt and Pepper. The stuffing can be made a Day ahead and refrigerated. Do not stuff the Turkey until ready to Cook. Yield enough stuffing for a 12 to 14-Pound Turkey about 8 Servings Chestnut scones total time 35 minutes 1v cups All purpose flour plus flour for the work surface a a cup Chestnut flour available in specially stores 1 Tablespoon double acting baking powder 2 Tablespoons sugar a Teaspoon Salt Var cup cold unsalted butter Cut into Small pieces 1 targe egg a cup heavy Cream a a Teaspoon Vanilla extract. 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. In a Large mixing bowl Combine the flours baking powder sugar and Salt with a whisk. Add the butter and work it into the flour mixture with your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a Small bowl beat a the Cream Anc Vanilla our Over the flour mixture and stir with a Fork just until a dough forms. 3. Gently knead the dough in the bowl eight times. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and Divide in half. Pat each half Riku it Rich Ollk about 1/2 Inch thick Cut each disk into six wedges,4. Transfer the wedges to an a greased of tips n0t�?~an? bake 2010 22 Quot utes until rack for j0�th� a Ven it and c�o1 on a rack for at least 10 minutes before  12 scones. Saturday sunday december 25/26,1993