From Ticino, Switzerland to the Appalachians - Roasted Chestnuts

Type: Interesting

Description:
A fascinating comparison of the cultural, economic and gastronomic importance of chestnuts between the Applachian Mountain peoples and the mountain villages of Ticino Switizerland. There are four main species of Chestnut Trees worldwide. American Chestnut (Castanea dentata), European Chestnut (Castagna sativa), Chinese Chestnut (Castagna mollissima) and Japanese Chestnut (Castagba crenata). In Switzerland over 30 varieties of Chestnut trees were cultivated for various properties, for example for swine food, or flour, or storge longevity, or cooking. The importance of the Amercian Chestnut in the local appalachian diet faded when the Chestnut blight destroyed all the trees while in Ticino, Switzerland improved roads and readily available processed foods out weighed the importance and value of the chestnuts.

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Video length: 09:07