Chestnuts

In the past the chestnut was an extremely important subsistence crop for the population of Tenerife, it was even used for bartering. Today chestnuts survive almost everywhere on the island but especially in the Acentejo region, in the north of the island, where 20 different varieties are grown and in the district of Arafo in the South. Chestnuts are still used to accompany many traditional dishes.

Once autumn arrives, it is easy to come across chestnut sellers and their stands filling the streets with the sweet smell of roasted chestnuts. However, it is during the celebration of San Andres that chestnuts play an important role. On the 29th of November the wine cellars in Tenerife open their doors to taste the new wine. The wine is always accompanied with chestnuts boiled in water, salt and green anise and served with a good sauce, salted fish and local sweet potato.