#FoodieFriday – Do You Like Chestnuts? Dia de São Martinho

Let’s talk about food! Chestnuts roasting by an open fire … not quite, but you get my drift. When we were in the UK, we never ate chestnuts… it wasn’t a thing. However, in Portugal, we quickly discovered there is even a day dedicated to them: Dia de São Martinho, celebrated on November 11th, which is basically the country’s unofficial holiday for roasted chestnuts, new wine, and warm autumn vibes.

Do you like roasted chestnuts? Maybe use them in recipes?

Dia de São Martinho

It is common to see street vendors selling roasted chestnuts in November

• It also marks the tasting of the year’s new wine (“água-pé”)
• People roast chestnuts everywhere — at home, in town squares, at school parties, you name it. The smell of chestnuts drifting through the streets is the hallmark of the day.

The whole thing feels simple, rustic, and very community-oriented — food, wine, a bit of folklore, and gathering with people you like.

Many years ago, we were invited to a ‘Dia de São Martinho’ party where we not only sampled água-pé but also our first taste of roasted chestnuts. Fascinated, I took the following photographs as a keepsake.

The Legend

Dia de São Martinho is tied to the legend of St. Martin, a Roman soldier who shared his cloak with a freezing beggar. The story says a burst of warm weather followed — what people now call Verão de São Martinho (“St. Martin’s Summer”), a brief warm spell in mid-November. (actually, we are experiencing that now)

On a chilly, gloomy November day, a soldier named Martin, riding his horse, spots a poor man shivering on the ground. Martin doesn’t have much on him except his warm cloak, so he takes his sword, slices the cloak in half, and wraps the man in it.

And then — as if by magic — the clouds part, and a burst of warm sunshine rolls in. People say that’s why Portugal often gets a little warm spell around November 11th: “St. Martin’s Summer.”

Roasted chestnuts (“castanhas assadas”) — usually done over a smoky charcoal fire. The kind you peel with your fingers and end up a bit sooty.

New wine (“vinho novo”) — it’s the first taste from the year’s harvest, still young and lively.

Village fairs and school parties — kids roast chestnuts, sing, and make little paper cones to hold them.

Family gatherings — nothing formal, just chatting, nibbling, and enjoying that warm spell if it shows up.

Moving on, and while we love the thought of cooking chestnuts on an open fire, we now cook them in the air fryer. Setting Airfry* 200C for 10 mins-ish

I also buy frozen chestnuts and add them to our Christmas stuffing. See Jamie Oliver’s recipe https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/sides-and-trimmings/versatile-festive-stuffing/

Why not join the Foodie Friday Challenge Blog Hop?

Let’s talk about food, whether it’s sharing your favourite recipes, growing fruit and vegetables, your harvest ups and downs, hints and tips, favourite restaurants or pictures of plates of food – even diets. If it’s food-related, why not post it on your blog and add it to the Foodie Friday Blog Hop

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