October sees Japan embrace autumn and winter seasonal foods designed to warm you up as the weather gets a little cooler. There’s so much great food it has led to the phrase ‘autumn’s appetite’. It’s no surprise when you consider this is the season which brings dishes and flavours such as persimmons (Kaki), pine mushroom, pumpkin , and of course chestnuts!!!
So when the fierce winds of the recent typhoon brought down a bounty of chestnuts and we gathered baskets full, you might understand my excitement !!!
Most were still green so we let them ripen for several days on the deck. As I waited for the urchin-like casings to crack I researched the many ways I could use such a large harvest and made a list of chestnut focused foods to try. One dish I attempted to make, kuri no shibukawani, a very Japanese take on marron glacé, wowed more than all of the others…!!
As autumn begins-when you have the best of both worlds, I would love to hear what you have been up to during these just right’ Goldilocks months!!!!