Castañas asadas or roasted chestnuts can be found on every street corner in the cities of Asturias during this time of year. The smell is very distinct, and there are always crowds of people waiting in line to buy some, so it is almost impossible to miss the popular stands. Chestnuts are an important Christmas tradition for the people of Asturias. These treenuts represent winter and Christmas in the way that gingerbread men and candy canes do for us in the United States! Like most of the food products in Asturias, the chestnuts grow and are harvested right here in the region. You can find chestnuts in almost any place where trees are growing. Because chestnuts are such an important local product, many of my students and their families will go out to the mountains to harvest them and sell them to friends and family later.
Chestnuts are brown, smooth, and hard on the inside. This inner part is the part that people will later roast and eat. However, this part is protected by a very strange looking casing. This husk is brown and spiky! When the people of Asturias harvest the chestnuts, they break open the outer casing by hitting it against something or stomping on it with their boot. Once the casing is open, the chestnut can be collected!
