[1] To roast chestnuts, cut an X on the flat side. [2] Chestnut soup, a don’t-miss seasonal treat. [3] Brussels sprouts with roasted chestnuts from MyRecipes.com).

While canned chestnuts, and more recently, ready-to-eat vacuum-bagged chestnuts, can be found year-round, fresh chestnuts season lasts for only about two months.

Now is the time to enjoy their beguiling flavor and nutrients to the fullest extent.

They don’t have to be roasting on an open fire, per our favorite crooner, Nat King Cole. Roast chestnuts (lacking an open fire, we use the oven—here’s how) are a treat, but so are the luscious preparations that follow.

Long before they found their way onto holiday menus, chestnuts, which are tree nuts, were a dietary staple in the mountainous regions surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Because grains could not grow in those areas, chestnuts were a valuable source of nutrition.

In fact, chestnuts are nutritionally more like a grain than a nut. They are low in protein and fat, but high in starch and fiber. Naturally gluten free, they are the only nut that contains vitamin C.
 
SAVORY CHESTNUT USES

Add diced, halved or whole chestnuts to:

 
SWEET CHESTNUT USES

This recipe is from Mary R. Wendt, MD, author of Waist Away: How to Joyfully Lose Weight and Supercharge Your Life. She is an expert on making the transition to plant-based nutrition.

Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 425°F. Use a paring knife to score an “X” onto the flat side of each chestnut.

2. ARRANGE the chestnuts in a single layer in a large baking pan, with the X facing up. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the “X” flaps on the shell begin to curl away from the nut. Do not overcook!

3. REMOVE from the heat and partially cool until it’s comfortable to peel away and discard the shells. Chestnuts are easiest to peel when they are warm.

4. WARM the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and garlic. Sauté for 5-10 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally until lightly browned.

5. ADD the chestnuts to the skillet and cook covered for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the Brussels sprouts are very brown. Stir in the salt and pepper and sauté an additional 2-3 minutes.

6. GARNISH as desired and serve.
  

To celebrate its Apple Bourbon—available year-round but especially popular in fall recipes—Jim Beam has stepped beyond cocktails to caramel.

Yes, you can dip your caramel apples into an easy homemade caramel that incorporates a cup of Jim Beam Apple Bourbon.

No time to buy Jim Beam Apple Bourbon? Use what you’ve got on hand (including another whiskey or apple liqueur), and pick some up Apple Bourbon when you can. You’ll definitely want to make another batch of these!

The history of candy apples is below.
 
 
RECIPE: BOURBON CARAMEL APPLES

Ingredients For 10 Caramel Apples

 
Preparation

1. COOK the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in a large pot over medium-high heat until a light boil begins. Whisk in the half and half and the bourbon and continue to whisk until the caramel sauce reaches 248°F. Remove from the heat.

2. DIP each of the apples into the caramel, coating on all sides. Set on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. If desired, coat apples on all sides with chopped salted peanuts.

3. ALLOW the caramel to cool before serving.
 
 
MORE CANDY APPLE, CHOCOLATE & CARAMEL APPLE RECIPES

 
You can also host a candy apple party!
 
 
CANDY APPLE HISTORY

The practice of coating fruit in sugar syrup dates back to ancient times. In addition to tasting good, honey and sugar were used as preserving agents to keep fruit from rotting.

According to FoodTimeline.org, food historians generally agree that caramel apples (toffee apples) date to the late 19th century.

[1] Jim Beam Bourbon caramel apples (photos #1 and #2 © Beam Suntory).

[2] The caramel is made with Jim Beam Apple Bourbon. You can substitute apple liqueur.

[3] It’s easy to make caramel sauce, and far less expensive than buying it (photo © Julia Khlebnikova | Unsplash).

Red cinnamon-accented candy apples came later. And, while long associated with Halloween, they were originally Christmas fare, not a Halloween confection.

According to articles in the Newark Evening News in 1948 and 1964, the red candy apple was invented in 1908 by William W. Kolb, a local confectioner. Experimenting with red cinnamon candies for Christmas, he dipped apples into the mixture and the modern candy apple was born.

The tasty treat was soon being sold at the Jersey Shore, the circus and then in candy shops nationwide.

[2] Pumpkin mousse cheesecake with pumpkin seed-flour crust (photo © Kenwood World).

[3] Cheesecake with walnut-pumpkin seed crust and a caramel sauce ribbon (photo © King Arthur Flour).

[4] Caramel Apple Cheesecake with gingersnap-pumpkinseed crust (photo courtesy iGourmet).

Go seasonal with pie and cheesecake crusts: Add some pumpkin seeds and add a touch of fall, flavor, crunch, and nutrition.

You can add whole or chopped pumpkin seeds to your regular crusts, be they cookie (chocolate, gingersnap, graham cracker, shortbread), flour (wheat, nut, gluten-free), or another recipe.

Use raw, hulled pumpkin seeds, available in natural food stores and health food stores.

First up is a graham cracker crust with pumpkin seeds, from Executive Chef Matt Greco of The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, California.

Chef Greco initially made this delicious crust for a Black Out Pie, peanut butter, and chocolate. So don’t limit your vista!
 
 
RECIPE #1: GRAHAM CRACKER & PUMPKIN SEED PIE CRUST

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F.

2. COMBINE all ingredients except the butter in a bowl. Slowly add enough butter so that the mixture holds its shape when squeezed in your hand.

3. PRESS 3/4 of a cup of the mixture into a pie pan and bake at 350° for 10 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden.
 
 
RECIPE #2: GINGER PUMPKIN PIE WITH PUMPKIN SEED CRUST

This recipe is adapted from one by Florence Fabricant in The New York Times. Prep and cook time is 2 hours.
 
Ingredients For 10 Servings

For The Crust

 
For The Filling

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 450°F. Spread the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and toast for 5 to 8 minutes, until you hear them start to pop. Remove from the oven.

2. PULSE 1/2 cup of the pumpkin seeds in a food processor. Mix with the graham cracker crumbs, ground ginger and granulated sugar. Stir in the melted butter. Pat the mixture firmly into the bottom and sides of a 10-inch pie pan and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. BAKE the crust for 15 minutes and remove it from the oven. Reduce the oven heat to 350°F.

4. MIX the pumpkin purée, eggs, egg yolks, cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in the crystallized ginger and mix until smooth. Pour into the pre-baked crust and bake for about an hour, until the filling is set.

5. REMOVE the pie from the oven and the scatter remaining pumpkin seeds on top. Cool to room temperature before serving.
 
 
RECIPE #3: CANDIED PUMPKIN SEEDS

How about a garnish of candied pumpkin seeds?

You can sprinkle them on any dessert, or on whipped cream-topped drinks.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 325°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment, or spray it with cooking spray.

2. WHISK the egg white until frothy. Place the pumpkin seeds in a small bowl and add just enough egg white to coat the seeds. Add the salt, sugar and cinnamon and toss well to coat.

3. SPREAD the seeds on the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, until they begin to dry and turn golden. Cool completely on a wire rack. Garnish just before serving to keep the seeds crisp. If not using that day, store in an airtight jar.
 
 

In just 15 minutes, you can whip up the batter for Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake.

Then, stick it in the fridge, and when you’re preparing for breakfast or brunch this weekend, preheat the oven and take the cake out of the fridge. It will bake in 35 minutes, capping off your repast with warm, fragrant coffee cake.

This recipe, from Go Bold With Butter, is one of those recipes that takes little time to mix.

The quintessential coffee cake is a crumb cake: a yeast cake with a streusel (crumb) topping. This recipe is quicker to make: hold the yeast and the rising time, add the pumpkin and pecans.

 
RECIPE: PUMPKIN PECAN COFFEE CAKE

Ingredients For A 9-Inch Cake
 
For The Cake

 
For The Crumb Topping (Streusel)

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch spring form pan with butter and dust with flour.

2. COMBINE the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. In separate bowl whisk together milk, egg, pumpkin purée and vanilla extract.

3. BEAT the butter and brown sugar on high speed in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment until light and creamy. Alternatively, use a hand mixer and a large bowl; beat about 3 minutes. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until just combined. Stir in the pecans.

[1] Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake with a crumb (streusel) topping (photo courtesy Go Bold With Butter). [2] Streusel can be light and airy, as on this crumb-top muffin (photo courtesy Folger’s). [3] By adding more butter, the streusel becomes denser. It’s a personal choice (photo courtesy Bella Baker).

5. BAKE until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the pan sides and cool completely. Store the cake at room temperature for up to 3 days; or freeze leftovers.
 
THE HISTORY OF CRUMB CAKE

Long popular as the topping on Streuselkuchen (streusel cake), Germany’s crumb-topped yeast cake, streusel (pronounced SHTROY-zul) is a topping made from butter, flour and sugar. It can also contain chopped nuts or rolled oats.

The word derives from the German “streuen” (SHTROY-en), meaning to sprinkle or scatter.

The crumb cake is believed to have originated in Silesia, once part of Germany but today in western Poland (if you’ve read James Michener’s historical novel, Poland, you know the borders changed regularly).

The original Streuselkuchen was very flat, with crumbs equal to the height of the cake (think one inch of cake topped with one inch of crumbs). To some streusel lovers, that’s perfection!

The original recipe engendered variations with layers or ribbons of tart fruits (apples, gooseberries, sour cherries, rhubarb) and poppy seeds. Some versions even included pastry cream.

Another popular coffee cake, also a yeast cake (but without crumbs), is glazed with sugar syrup, can be strewn with raisins and nuts and drizzled with royal icing. In our youth, when German emigré bakers plied their craft in New York City and elsewhere, it was as popular as crumb cake (and neater to eat, too).

[1] Basiron Pesto Rosso, a red Gouda. [2] Cahill’s Irish Cheddar, marbled with porter. [3] English Cheddar with spicy harissa. [4] Mimolette, perhaps the spookiest-looking cheese. [5] A limited fall edition version of Weybridge from Vermont (all photos are the copyright of their respective owners).

These cheeses and others can create a perfect Halloween cheese plate. They also double as “harvest moon” cheeses for Thanksgiving.

They represent England, France, Holland, Ireland, and the U.S. They’re all delicious and worth seeking out. If you can’t find them locally, we’ve provided e-tail links.
 
HALLOWEEN CHEESES

Basiron Pesto Rosso

This Dutch Gouda (photo #1), also called Red Gouda, gets its bright color and flavor from an infusion of tomato pesto. Each creamy bite has a hit of ripe tomato and Italian herbs.

It’s what we call “fusion cheese”: a traditional cheese from one country flavored with herbs and spices from another culture.

Find it at Amazon.com.
 
Cahill’s Farm Flavored Irish Cheddar

Made near Limerick and dating to 1759, the brown mosaic pattern is made with Guinness (photo #2). There’s also a fall-appropriate version colored red with wine, and an all-yellow version made with Irish whiskey (save the latter for St. Patrick’s Day).

Find it at Amazon.com.
 
English Cheddar With Harissa

Another “cultural fusion cheese,” this tangy English Cheddar (photo #3) gets an infusion of harissa, a Moroccan spice blend that consists of chiles, coriander, cumin, garlic, and smoked paprika (each producer has a proprietary blend, which can include other ingredients).

Find it at Amazon.com.
 
Mimolette

Perhaps the creepiest of all (photo #4), Mimolette’s rind looks like the craters of the moon. Cut it open and surprise: There’s a blazing orange interior that also looks scary.

This semi-sharp cow’s milk cheese is produced in the area around Lille in Alsace, France. Try it with an Alsatian Riesling!

Find it at ForTheGourmet.com.

 
Weybridge Limited Edition

This “surprise!” cheese from the Scholten Family Farm in Vermont has a ghostly white bloomy rind, that reveals a tangy orange paste (the industry term for the interior of a cheese). An organic cheese, limited edition version has a dusting of vegetable ash on the rind for some extra spookiness.

The limited edition cheese, a fall version of the regular Weybridge, sells out quickly. Reserve yours at Jasper Hill Farm.
 
WHAT CREATES THE BRIGHT ORANGE COLOR?

It’s annatto, a natural dye derived from achiote seeds. It’s the same natural color that differentiates yellow cheddar from white cheddar.

In large amounts annatto provides a slightly spicy flavor, but here in smaller touches it delivers only the color.
 
OTHER CHEESES TO CONSIDER

Along with bread, crackers, fruits and nuts, serve a choice of condiments. Use ramekins for neatness. No ramekins? See what you do have, such as espresso cups and espresso spoons.

 
Look for an artisan semolina loaf if you want to add some seasonal color to the bread.
 
MAILLE MUSTARDS

The great French mustard house produces a standard line plus seasonal flavors: so good, we eat them from the jar on a spoon!

Fall flavors include:

 
We love to give these gourmet mustards as house gifts and stocking stuffers for our foodie friends. Find them online at Maille.com.

[6] Maille Hazelnut, Black Chanterelle Mushrooms & White Wine Mustard. [7] Maille Black Truffle, Cep & Chablis Mustard, a limited edition for fall (photos courtesy Maille USA).