>From: "Phyllis"

>When I make dressing for the turkey I add pecans. I might add some
>chestnuts too if I see them in the grocery store. What does a chestnut taste
>like? Would they take the place of pecans in the taste catagory?

Do not substitute for pecans, and I find they are overwhelmed along with pecans
in a dressing. Chestnuts are usually used in a mild tasting herb stuffing
since they are very delicate in taste. I adore them. Chestnuts taste like
chestnuts like bananas taste like bananas. It's hard to describe the taste.
They are particularly aromatic when roasted in a wire basket over a fire. They
have a distinctive texture. If boiled they are firm, if roasted they are
drier, so in a stuffing they are firmer. Better cut small, not thrown in
whole, for a stuffing, to my taste. They can be used in recipes for texture,
mouth feel and/or taste.
They can be bought candied in jars.

I like to roast them and then dip them into butter before eating since they are
very low fat. Which makes them wonderful on lowfat diets without the butter.

They are $5.99 per pound right now at our Albertson's grocery in SW Louisiana.
You would need about a pound to make a proper chestnut stuffing for a large
turkey. I'm half PA Dutch and my Amish relatives in Lancaster use this type of
recipe:

Amish Chestnut Stuffing

1 pound fresh chestnuts
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
4 cups bread crumbs (I like WW stale bread instead)
2 well beaten eggs
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 cup chopped onion

Wash chestnuts, make two slits on each shell (a large cross on their flat side
will do it), and bake for 15 minutes at 475 degrees. Shell, boil in water to
cover for 20 minutes. Chop fine (I like mine a little more chunky). Mix with
the melted butter, bread, crumbs, salt, poultry seasoning, egg, onion and
celery. Toss well. Yields enough to stuff a 18 pound bird. A very elegant and
simple dish. You can add ingredients you are fond of that don't clash with the
delicate chestnut taste.

Henrietta