I've got the chestnuts, I've got the open fire...

[HabbiChristmasToBu]

...and a hankering to cornily live out Christmas songs, but I don't see how you'd do it. Don't they just end up covered in soot?

I tried that once... hated them! lol

YOu need a chestnut roaster!

I like your name

When we did it they exploded!

Marshmellows would be much tastier!

They give me terrible stomach ache.

Have you got any marshmallows>

Or even toast is wonderful on an open fire.

Yes, but marshmallows and toast don't scan . I've never had an open fire before so am a little over-excited. What is a chestnut roaster, pray?

And thank you - first ever name change

It's a metal box with a handle

Cook them in the oven (prick them first) then put them in a dish next to the fire - sorted

Why not make some figgy pudding? PMSL!

I've got the dyson filters drying on my fire.....not quite the same

Oh Mars, did you miss the whole Open Fire thing? I am in a cosy cardi (like an updated Monsoon Val Doonican) about to wrap my last present, and the figgy pudding would require me to hang about on my doorstep awaiting carol singers with threats so that I can give it to them. And that is less romantic.

Thank you, KatyMa. Are you perchance Delia/Nigella or some offspring? I've seen you dispensing much useful Christmas food advice today.

Katymac how is your tooth?

Ahhhh should we have pricked them?

I'm not cooking this year (not that I cook most years - but this year I am at home instead of on a beach in Egypt or somewhere)

I kinda do quite a lot of cooking in my job but my assistants have been taking over for the last few months - so instead of being pissed off with cooking (3 meals a day, 5 days a week), I am starting to re-enjoy it again

My tooth is crap - thank you for asking

Very sharp knife - little slit

I much prefer chestnuts raw but if you really want to roast them on the fire... slit the skins (to stop them exploding) and then put them on a metal pan/skillet/baking tray and perch it on the fire - directly on coals is OK as long as the pan is up to it.

A chestnut roaster is like a small bed warming pan but with holes in. They're not overly expensive and can be bought in shops that sell coal scuttles, brass ornaments etc.

Have fun!

Bed warming pans! This gets better and better. I may have to exchange my cardi for a flannel nightgown and put my hair in rags.

How long do they take?

Don't suppose you'd get the same effect with walnuts?

If you get the walnuts fresh off the tree they really benefit from sitting on top of the wood-burner for about 48 hrs (before shelling)

I imagine walnut would be very explosive!

chestnut pan.

Chestnuts need a bit of salt (imo) but walnut are nice as they are

Just remembered - I have toasted chestnuts on the coal shovel before. Just watch they don't burn!

Have images of walnuts roasting by an open fire for 2 solid days

Well a wood burner is a bit slower (I think)

It's more about drying out than roasting

They'd be very dry if I left walnuts on our log burner for a couple of days - I can boil a kettle on it.

DH left a pair of wet boots to dry out on it once and it melted the soles. House stank. Now that isn't very festive!

I have them on a trivet (is that the right word?) in a heavy bottomed pan

I slow cook on mine - but no way would I put shoes on it

The dyson bits are on the (so-called) trivet