To ensure the best quality, our fresh chestnuts and Roast Chestnut Gathering-in-a-Box ship out every Monday starting in late November 2024. Orders placed by Sunday night should arrive by Thursday. This means your order can take anywhere between 4-10 days to arrive, depending on when you placed it.

Yes, chestnuts are perishable and should be kept in the refrigerator once they arrive on your doorstep. Think of them like carrots — they're hearty enough to survive outside of the fridge for a bit, but for longevity and the best taste and experience, they should stay in cold storage. Keep this in mind when you purchase our Roast Chestnut Gathering in a Box or our Chestnuts by the Pound.

Whether you order our chestnuts by the pound or our Roast Chestnut Gathering-in-a-Box, make sure to refrigerate your chestnuts upon arrival. If you're planning on gifting the Gathering-in-a-Box to a loved one, we recommend opening the box and popping the bagged chestnuts into the fridge until you're ready to share the joy.

Scoring your chestnuts before cooking is very important — don't skip this step! Scoring allows steam to release during the cooking process, preventing your chestnuts from exploding in the oven or on your stovetop. In a pinch, you can score your chestnuts with a paring knife, but we recommend our chestnut folding knife or our kid-friendly chestnut scoring tool.

If you've never tasted a chestnut, you're not alone! The US eats only about .1 lbs of chestnuts per capita per year. That's a tiny percentage compared to our friends in South Korea (4lbs), China (2lbs), and Europe (1lb). For any first timers out there, chestnuts have a sweet, nutty taste similar to a sweet potato, with a softer, meatier texture than other tree nuts.

Yes! Chestnuts are nutrient-dense, with more fiber and fewer calories than most other nuts. They are great source of antioxidants, folic acid, and magnesium. Plus, in addition to being good for your body, they're great for the earth — chestnut trees absorb carbon dioxide, prevent erosion, and clean groundwater wherever they are planted.

Unlike most chestnuts served in the US, we source our chestnuts from farms right here in North America, primarily from Ohio and New York State. If you order online, all of our products are shipped from our fulfillment center in Illinois.

We sell castanea mollissima, a species of chestnut also known as the Chinese chestnut. While all of our chestnuts are grown in America, they are not castanea dentata (the American chestnut species), as almost all of these trees were destroyed by a blight in the early 20th century. Castanea mollissima are blight-resistant while still suitable for growing in North America. Plus, scientists are working on developing a blight-resistant castanea dentata, so we dream of a not-so-distant future where many species of chestnut can thrive in American forests.

Nope! Part of the beauty of chestnuts is their seasonal nature. Chestnuts are harvested in October and stored in cold storage until January, making them the perfect cozy treat for festive winter gatherings.

Chestnuts are plant matter, and mold is an inevitable part of dealing with fresh produce. While we do our best to ensure the freshest product, shipping conditions are often out of our control. If you encounter mold on your chestnuts, no fear! External mold on the shell can be easily washed off (before scoring) without affecting the meat of the chestnut. Interior mold still can happen despite our best efforts. If you crack open a chestnut that looks past its prime, discard it. The rest of the order should still be safe to eat.

To ensure the highest quality, we always recommend refrigerating your fresh chestnuts upon arrival.

Not right now! In 2024, we had a booth at the Bryant Park Winter Village in New York City. In 2025, we'll be partnering with our favorite NYC bakeries and cafes to bring new chestnut treats directly to you!

Please email info@chestnutexperiment.com with any questions or concerns. We are a small operation but will do our best to get back to you in a timely manner!

Follow our foolproof recipe for perfect at-home roast chestnuts.