How to Roast Chestnuts

"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...", you know how it goes, we've all heard the song. How many of us have actually roasted chestnuts - forget the "over an open fire" part..?
Well, roasting chestnuts is super easy and boy are they delicious!

First things first, you have to buy chestnuts.
A good chestnut should be heavy for it's size, shinny, and hard. If you shake it, you shouldn't hear or feel anything move around inside it - if you do, it means the chestnut has dried up, so don't buy it. Also be sure that there isn't any mould on it.

To roast chestnuts you first have to carefully cut either an 'X' along the flat side of the chestnut or slice open the edge where the flat side of the chestnut meets the round side (you'll end up with a crescent shaped cut along the edge of the chestnut. I find this easier than the 'X' method).

Stick them in the oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. You'll see some of the shell start to peel back - perfectly normal. I also like to add 1-2 tablespoons of water mid roast. I just sprinkle this around on top. I find it helps keep them nice and moist. Be careful when you take them out they are obviously very hot. Put them in a tea towel and give them a semi-firm push or massage-like movement. This helps separate the shell and skin from the chestnut. When they're cool enough to handle start to peel and dig in. Once peeled they should be a gold-light-brown-ish colour. Don't eat any black or blemished parts if there are any.

Enjoy!

Homemade Linen Spray

Ingredients:

- 1 Tablespoon of Vodka

- Approx. 20 drops of essential oil

- Distilled water (the more water you add the milder your scent will become)

Usually when making a homemade linen spray the essential oil is your base fragrance, so choose a scent that you like, or mix and blend of a few different oils together.

               Oils Ideas:

  1-orange and cinnamon (and/or clove and/or sandalwood)

  2-lavender

  3-lime and clove

  4-orange and ylang ylang (and maybe cinnamon, clove, or sandalwood to add some spice)

Directions (the easy way):

-Mix the oils and vodka/alcohol

-Add distilled water (approx. 1 to 1.5 cups)

-Put into mist/spray bottle.

               Shake before use, and spray away.

Directions (the better way!):

Here's an extra step to help complement your base oils/fragrance and help make a stronger smelling spray.

**(N.B. Do not use powdered spices! Get the real thing.)

  Complementing Your Oils:

-Take 2 and a ¼ cups of distilled water and
     bring to a boil.

-Add spices to the the boiling water and
     reduce heat to a gentle simmer.

1. e.g. add orange peel/rind and a cinnamon  
    stick (and/or 2 cloves)

2. e.g. add 2 tablespoons of lavender buds
    to help boost a lavender essential oil.

3. e.g. add lime peel/rind and 2 cloves

4. e.g. add orange peel/rind

-Allow to gently simmer for 15-20 mins.

-Allow to cool, and remove spices before mixing with the vodka and oil mixture.

-Put into a mist/spray bottle, and shake before use.

***Do not use and citrus juice/pulp in boiling the distilled water. Juice is sticky and also, without preservatives, eventually goes bad, and smells off. Use the peel of the citrus only as this is where the oil is located and it will not go bad.

Happy misting!