You-pick chestnut season begins at Conneaut farm

The shells curl back when chestnuts are roasted enough.

CONNEAUT, Ohio — Jennifer Thornton, owner of Buttercream & Olive Oil cooking school in North Royalton, is a big fan of chestnuts. She uses them to make fillings and doughs.

“Chestnuts have a rich, earthy flavor that to me evokes autumn and the holidays. Their natural, slight sweetness goes so well in European desserts,” she said. “When I lived in France, I would always indulge with one box of organic marrons glacés at Christmas.

Chestnut burrs fall to the ground and open when they are ripe.

“In France, you knew the seasons were changing when you would smell chestnuts roasting from the street vendors,” she said.

Thornton is also passionate about sourcing organic and local. For now, she’s been ordering chestnut puree from France and chestnut flour from Italy. She’s delighted to learn there’s a local, organic source to pick the storied holiday ingredient.

“We like to go the extra mile in our shop, choosing local and pick-your-own seasonal items to (incorporate) into our specialty pastries,” Thornton said. “It is certainly more laborious, but folks appreciate the traditions that it brings back.”

Chestnuts grow in a spiny burr. They fall to the ground when ripe.

Those who want to experience chestnuts in a local way can now pick them by the pound at Northridge Chestnuts, part of the pick-your-own Northridge Blueberries operation in Conneaut. The farm, which has more than 100 trees, is about an hour’s drive from Cleveland — a pleasant Saturday or Sunday adventure.

Julia Barton and her son Parker sell pre-picked chestnuts or you can pick your own at Northridge Chestnuts in Conneaut.

Owners Julia Barton and Patrick Turner are experienced farmers. They have operated Octagon Acres Farm in Conneaut — an organic mixed vegetable and sheep operation — for the past 10 years. When they saw the Northridge farm for sale in a Facebook post this summer, they had to check it out.

It didn’t take long before they were the owners.

“It’s a really special farm with several acres of chestnuts,” Barton said. “We worked really hard clearing the orchard so we could do you-pick chestnut season.”

The season is just starting. Barton expects it to run through the end of October as more chestnuts ripen.

For those who know about chestnuts, these are not native American chestnuts, which are nearly extinct because of a fungal disease. These large chestnuts are either European or Asian cultivars.

Note: Do not confuse them with buckeyes or horse chestnuts, which are toxic. The difference is easy to spot when picking: edible chestnuts grow in prickly burrs, while buckeyes are in smooth husks.

Picking chestnuts is easy with sturdy gloves. No tree climbing is necessary or allowed at Northridge Chestnuts.

Pickers can wander 13 rows of trees over five acres, collecting chestnuts from spiny burrs that have fallen from the trees. The sturdy leather gloves make it painless to nudge open these outer shells and collect their two or three nuts.

Some folks, like owner Turner and son Parker, enjoy chestnuts raw and crunchy; however, others may experience a little tummy distress with uncooked chestnuts.

Most folks roast them in the fire, oven or microwave and enjoy their heat-sweetened, softer iteration. Boiling is also an option.

Pickers are encouraged to wear long pants and boots to navigate the uneven ground. Children are welcome to run around and help.

“We’re excited to offer a tree-nut crop locally,” said Barton.

Chestnuts are $4.70 a pound for pick-your-own or $5.80 apound pre-picked. Northridge Chestnuts is open 4 to 7 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Buckets are provided.

Northridge Chestnuts is at 497 West Main Road, Conneaut.

Store Chestnuts

Refrigerate: Place chestnuts in a paper bag and store in the refrigerator to prevent moisture loss and keep cool.

Freeze: Clean, dry and freeze in an air-tight plastic bag.

Roast Chestnuts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Score 20 chestnut shells with an X on one side. Place on a cookie tray and roast 20 to 25 minutes, until shells start to curl back. Remove from oven and wrap in a cloth dish towel for 15 minutes. Peel and eat or save for a recipe. While the first batch is cooling, roast the next batch of 20. Continue until all chestnuts are roasted.

Note: Chestnuts are easier to peel while still warm. Roasting in small batches ensures they stay warm long enough.

Pork Roast with Chestnuts and Sweet Potatoes

Chestnuts are typically thought of as sweet, but they also pair well with savory dishes. The following is a crockpot adaptation of a recipe from Jacques Pepin.

4-pound pork shoulder roast
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
pepper
1 medium onion, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
5 parsley sprigs
3 thyme sprigs
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound roasted chestnuts

Rub the pork with salt and pepper. Sear all sides in a large cast-iron skillet. Remove pork roast and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the pan. Saute, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, wine and thyme sprigs and bring to a simmer.

Place roast into crock pot. Cover with stock mixture and set for your preferred cook time. About 45 minutes before serving add the sweet potatoes, chestnuts and parsley sprigs. Cover and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Transfer the pork to a serving dish and let rest for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sweet potatoes and chestnuts to a bowl. Remove herb sprigs. Strain the jus into a pot. Make gravy, if desired.

Serve roast over vegetables and garnish with parsley.