Chestnuts Roasting in an Open Cart

I'll be going downown this Saturday for a Film Center double feature, and want to get my first taste of roasted chestnuts while I'm down there. Where do the vendors usually hang out? Does anyone remember how much this usually costs? Thanks!

They are on the corner of State and Madison, in 1991.

JeffB wrote:They are on the corner of State and Madison, in 1991.

What is 1991?

Cogito wrote:

JeffB wrote:They are on the corner of State and Madison, in 1991.

What is 1991?

I would guess he means that in the year 1991 the vendors were on the corner of State and Madison. Suggesting that they aren't around anymore, like most(all?) street foods.

SSDD

JeffB wrote:in 1991.

Wasn't that the year the city banned street food carts because they couldn't be regulated by the health department? (Also why we sadly don't have hot dog carts like in NYC. Or the sausage carts like those outside of Fenway in Boston. Alas.)

There are multiple hot dog cart guys outside of nightclubs late at night, throughout the city. Are they exempt?

No - just faster...

Mhays wrote:No - just faster...

My Uncle had a hot dog Truck and he would go around to UIC. When the cops came by, he'd just fix em a hot dog with a little lettuce and all was well.

I'm pretty sure you will have to roast your own chestnuts. But as long as you carefully score them with an X mark they will not explode. Also, inspect them at the store for worm holes before buying. I've often found that most of a supermarket batch are worm-ridden. Right now, I'm thinking of doing some chestnuts on my gas grill. Any of you bbq mavens out there have any ideas about the optimal heat level? In the past, I've done them in my fireplace, nestled among the coals.

Another option is just to locate some Marrons Glacees (at Treasure Island in the refrigerator section over the holidays and at Fox & Obel, no doubt) and call it dessert.

Another option is Mitsuwa. Not so much downtown, though.

cilantro wrote:Another option is Mitsuwa. Not so much downtown, though.

Or any of the Asian markets in the Argyle area, where we found the ones we used for our Thanksgiving stuffing for ~$4/pouch for pre roasted and peeled.

gp60004 wrote:

Mhays wrote:No - just faster...

My Uncle had a hot dog Truck and he would go around to UIC. When the cops came by, he'd just fix em a hot dog with a little lettuce and all was well.

This sounds like the only type of lettuce on a hot dog that would be appealing

stevez wrote:

cilantro wrote:Another option is Mitsuwa. Not so much downtown, though.

Or any of the Asian markets in the Argyle area, where we found the ones we used for our Thanksgiving stuffing for ~$4/pouch for pre roasted and peeled.

Just to clarify, in the winter Mitsuwa usually has a guy selling hot roasted chestnuts in the doorway as you enter. Same for the Argyle markets?

cilantro wrote:Just to clarify, in the winter Mitsuwa usually has a guy selling hot roasted chestnuts in the doorway as you enter. Same for the Argyle markets?

No. Argyle markets have them imported in pre-packed foil pouches. Thanks for the tip on Mitsuwa. I'll remember that for next year!

cilantro wrote:Another option is Mitsuwa. Not so much downtown, though.

Last year Mitsuwa, on the weekends, was offering freshly roasted chestnuts. They were delicious!

Jyoti

I roasted my own chestnuts this year but I was rather dissapointed in the quality of chestnuts that I bought this year.

I ended up buying them three times from three different markets in the hopes of getting a good batch but while they were not worm ridden, they were all rather old.