AMAGÜESTU

[Marta Elena Díaz García]

The AMAGÜESTU is a typical autumn party in Asturias, in which people eat CASTAÑAS AMAGOSTAES (roasted chestnuts, with the cover but with a small hole to avoid explosion upon heating) and SIDRA DEL DUERNU (sweet cider). It was a common party in the country, to celebrate the collecting of the autumn fruits. The chestnuts are roasted in ovens or over a hot iron plate….uuuhhh the smell is very nice and remember me my grandmother, the secondary school, the winter...
The chestnuts are taken in Asturias in different ways: dry (mayucas), cooked (cocidas), roasted (amagostaes)….A new item could be written about this.
The “sidra del duernu” is just the first juice obtained from apples, before it is fermented….it is also nice….but take care do not drink too much……otherwise you have to visit the bathroom several times...
Both, “catañes amagostaes” and “sidra del duernu”, are very, very nice……

[Betty]

Yes they are both very, very nice. One of the fondest memories of our Asturian adventure last year was the day we went chestnut hunting in Ceceda and ate them with cider that evening.. with our new friends.
A couple of weeks ago a neighboring farmer phoned that there were chestnuts "everywhere" at his mother's farm and we could go collecting. SO we did and then as my abuela always did, I scored them with an "x" and roasted them in the oven. Smells like Holidays!! We drank some wine, ate the chestnuts and pretended we were in beautiful Asturias!!

[Art]

Thanks, Marta Elena!

I was surprised to see roasted chestnut stands in both Avilés and Gijón when I was there in October. We used to have them in New York City, too. (I suppose they're still found there.) What do you do with dry chestnuts? Do you have any recipes for chestnuts?

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¡Gracias, Marta Elena!

Me sorprendí al ver castañas amagostaes tanto en Avilés como en Gijón cuando estuve allí en octubre. Solíamos tenerlas en la Ciudad de Nueva York, también. (Supongo que aún se encuentran allí.) ¿Qué se hace con las castañas mayucas? ¿Tienes algunas recetas que utilizan castañas?

[Terechu]

Lo mejor del otoño: castañes asaes y sidra dulce! Yo ya llevo casi un mes cenando castañes asaes (no a diario, claro) con leche.
Art, las castañas "mayucas" se comen duras (como las que compramos en Ribadesella hace dos años), aunque también se pueden moler para hacer harina.
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The best about fall are roasted chestnuts and freshly pressed sweet cider! I've been having roasted chestnuts with milk for dinner (not everyday, obviously) for almost a month now.
Art, the dry "May" chestnuts are meant to be eaten as they are, but they can also be ground to flour.

[Art]

What do you make with the chestnut flour?

And do you just let the the "mayucas" dry in the air naturally?

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¿Qué se hace con la harina de castañas?

¿Y solamente se dejan las "mayucas" secar naturalmente por aire fresco?

[Mafalda]

Las mayucas, tambien se pueden poner en remojo unas horas, (como les fabes o los garbanzos), cocer depues y hacer puré de castañas, para acompañar un plato de carne esta delicioso.

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Translated by Bob

Tha dried chesnits can also be soaked [in water] for a few hours (like beans or chickpeas), and then cooked and used to make chestnut puree, delicious as a side dish to meat.
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