Chestnuts

Once chestnuts were known as “tree bread” and they were the only irreplaceable resource for the village’s farmers. During tough periods, they would be used for daily meals, making them even more tasty and hearty.

Towards the end of the last century, Fontanarossa, along with its hamlets, had a population of about a thousand, making the land insufficient to feed them. Therefore, people decided to clear the pastures and plant chestnut trees almost everywhere. Since then, this fruit has fed entire generations, becoming the only resource for many families.

The so-called “patient fruit”, as the poet Attilio Bertolucci has defined it, needs just a few essential interventions, like pruning and cleaning twice a year.
The woods, even the furthest ones, were always kept clean. Chestnuts were picked in the cavagne, and dried in the gre of the seccarezzu, a place that was generally located in the house kitchens and that is now gradually disappearing.

Once the picked chestnuts were dried, they were crushed in small batches inside sturdy, elongated hemp bags tied at both ends. Strong young men would rhythmically beat these bags on specially shaped wooden trunks, the so-called tacchi, until the husks detached from the fruit. Women carefully picked the chestnuts, spending long but joyful hours working attentively. They would then store them in large chests, called bancà, where they would wait to be eaten or sold to merchants from the plains.

Chestnuts were consumed in ways still known today. They were boiled (the pelate or balletti) or roasted (the caldarroste), and, when dried, people would eat them with milk for breakfast. On the other hand, ground chestnuts were turned into flour (or polenta), becoming a regular staple on the weekly menu.

How to Go Chestnut Picking

 According to an old saying, the three chestnuts in the hedgehog were split among the master, farmers and the poor.
Almost all of Fontanarossa’s woods are on private property, so it is important to follow the rules before going picking.

• Avoid entering well-maintained chestnut groves with clean soil and a fence. Before entering, always ask the owner.
• Respect the wood and avoid carrying out raids.
• Get a stick to shake off leaves and open curls, and avoid tumbling down slopes.
• To store the harvest, do not use plastic bags, which do not allow the fruit to breathe. Instead, consider using jute bags or wicker baskets.
• Do not pick or destroy rotten chestnuts, as they are crucial for the balance of the forest ecosystem.
• Avoid picking fruits that feel soft, as they may be infested by pests, or those that are dusty and dull, as they are likely rotten. Only collect chestnuts that are firm, dry, and intact, with a sweet flavour.