Traditionally, the Magosto celebration occurred as a last hoorah for the summer season, as all of the chestnuts had fallen from the trees and the days shortened. Though chestnuts are no longer a dietary staple, they are still loved by the Galician people. In Santiago and even throughout Spain in the fall, vendors can be found on nearly every street corner selling castañas asadas (roasted chestnuts). It is typical to eat them warm out of a cucurucho, a paper cone.
Chestnut trees are ubiquitous in Galicia, showering chestnuts over the region throughout the fall. As such, the preservation of these trees has been vitally important to the region’s survival.
