Edible chestnuts are in plentiful supply this year at the Spychalski property in Fancher.
Mr. Spychalski said the trees were likely planted around 1960 when he and his wife moved to the site. These trees belong to the family of beech and oak trees. Squirrels are smart enough to wait until the edibles drop off the tree and split open thereby avoiding getting stabbed in their hands by the protruding sharp sturdy spikes that surround the outer shell 360 degrees much like a porcupine’s defense.
The Spychalskis enjoy roasting these edible chestnuts and care must be exercised to score a slit in their sides or they will explode when roasted.
Also a big favorite is to peel off the top much like peeling off the top of an orange then boiling them in water with a little bit of salt for ten minutes. The texture comes close to that of a baked potato while other chestnuts, mostly poisonous, have a crunchy texture.
