The Discovery And Invention of Chestnut Tea

I was going to try roasting fresh green coffee beans to see how it works but had none and then thought why not try to roast chestnuts the way coffee is roasted and try that instead just to try out the coffee roaster. I did and was amazed to find a palatable new beverage I have never had before. The actual means of roasting chestnuts to create chestnut tea may still be a trade secret . It tasted better than Postem and might even had tasted better with cream and sugar than plain. It worked so perfectly as it could become the "native tea of the pacific Northwest" I have been looking for a native tea that could be grown here for some time and by accident I found it except that it is somewhere between tea and coffee in it's consistency. Right now if interested you could become a taster and help to develop an all new product. I am excited by the prospects because usually when I experiment the first cup of tea is not so good that I want to make a second one immediately afterwards. For people who already love chestnuts this is a perfect beverage and for some people who liked caffeine free postum this is better than buckwheat tea, better than Korean roasted corn tea and better than barley and wheat tea. Like coffee it can be roasted light or dark and it is gluten free, caffeine free and great tasting or maybe an acquired taste for some but that is what makes it interesting as a tea or coffee substitute. At the moment the name of the product is Chestnut Tea but that could change. The coffee brand Chock Full of Nuts from NYC pretty much sums up the nutty flavor . It is naturally sweeter than coffee of course but that could depend on how dark the roast is. There is more to learn about it but someone told me that if it tastes as good as I say it does it could be a million dollar product. Here is hoping. If in Portland and interested in helping to roast and taste test the product. Get in touch and become an official or unofficial taste tester. I can also send out a free sample if interested. I don't know the shelf life of the product yet or if it can be ground and completely dehydrated because some dehydrated Chinese chestnuts seem too bitter as does Italian chestnut flour. It may have to be a refrigerated product? Too early to tell yet.

Having trouble finding fresh chestnuts available where you live?

Did you know that when chestnuts are in season you can find them online and easy to order from a variety of sellers. The season begins every late September. You can find Chestnuts to Order on Both Amazon and Ebay. We sell ours for the price of the nuts per pound plus the cost of the flat rate box which costs about $10 to mail anywhere in the USA by the US Post Office. It holds up to 12 lbs in the medium size flat rate box. The ten pound box is most popular. A box of ten pounds can cost as little as $35 in an ebay auction though we would prefer to sell it for more like $40 or more. The Amazon box is listed at a higher price because it is not an auction. Other sellers have other methods of selling but most have no cheaper means of mailing the fresh nuts other than the flat rate postal rates. Thus the total cost of mail order from a consumer's perspective is from $3.50 to $4 per lb total including postage which can compare favorably to super market prices. In high season , the ebay auction price can be a lot higher . That usually happens around Christmas time. Find our listings and our competition's on either ebay or Amazon to order . You can order direct and negotiate a price . Chestnuts without cold storage here can be discounted because they won't last though Thanksgiving and Christmas without cold storage. If you want chestnuts in advance of Thanksgiving and have empty refrigerator space you can get them and store them so they are in good shape to use later. For Chestnuts contact St. Peter's Dome Flora Care of oregondirect@yahoo.com and I can send you an invoice on paypal for your negotiated price. There is also a larger flat rate box that costs $14 to mail that might get up to 15 or more lbs of nuts packed inside. I have not loaded one of these yet so I have to check before selling. A small flat rate box may or may not be able to hold five pounds of nuts but not sure if it is cheaper than the medium size box that handles about 10-12 lbs. Our nuts vary in size and type and include a mixture of European, hybrid American, American, Asian nuts. I can try to pack smaller or larger nuts. Just started this blog and more information on the uses and how to use coming later. Our nuts are grown in Oregon.