Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa)

Description: The sweet chestnut’s leaves are large, and edged with coarse, saw-like teeth. The fruit is a green spiny/furry husk which splits in autumn to release one to three edible nuts.
	History, Myths and Legends	Facts, Figures and Uses
	Sweet chestnuts roasted beside an open fire have been a winter delicacy in Britain for generations and chestnut stuffing has become a traditional part of the Christmas turkey dinner. The sweet chestnut is a native of the Mediterranean and was probably introduced to Britain by the Romans. From the fruits they made a form of porridge, called pollenta in Latin, which is still eaten in regions of southern Europe. The Persian nobility, according to Xenophon, were fattened on chestnuts.	Few chestnuts bought in this country are home-grown, as British summers are usually too cool for the chestnut to ripen to full size. Because chestnuts do not germinate freely in Britain, few Sweet chestnut trees are genuinely wild. Chestnut wood is very similar to oak, and it is used for panelling and beams. As it resists the weather well, it is used to make rough fences. The nuts are a good food source. They may be boiled, roasted, ground into flour, made into puddings, cakes , bread and porridge.