Friday, October 26, 2012
Crisper mornings, falling leaves and darker evenings mark the coming of autumn, and around Greece people are getting ready to celebrate the season’s sweetest sign, the chestnut, greeting it with a feast!
Surrounded by the thick boughs of impressive chestnut trees, and with a name that means "little chestnut," it is no wonder the picturesque village of Kastanitsa in Arcadia boasts the country’s oldest chestnut feast. On October 27, the village will welcome guests with music, dance, and loads of chestnuts, cooked in all confectionary or culinary ways, while five local chefs will compete for the best chestnut recipe.
The village of Xourichti on the slopes of Mt. Pelion hosts an equally popular annual chestnut festival. More than five thousand visitors are expected to attend this year’s festival at the village square, where cauldrons will be set up to boil fresh chestnuts since early morning.
Although, as expected, most chestnut feasts take place in continental Greece, some of the funniest and most unexpected ones take place in the islands. The famous chestnut feast of Elos in Crete took place this year on October 21, combining as usual the chestnut with the all-year-round joys of tsikoudia, while the seasons chestnut festivities will close with the Agiassos chestnut feast in Lesvos, on November 3 and 4.
Although, as expected, most chestnut feasts take place in continental Greece, some of the funniest and most unexpected ones take place in the islands. The famous chestnut feast of Elos in Crete took place this year on October 21, combining as usual the chestnut with the all-year-round joys of tsikoudia, while the seasons chestnut festivities will close with the Agiassos chestnut feast in Lesvos, on November 3 and 4.
