Chestnuts are the edible seeds of chestnut trees, with a mildly sweet, earthy, nutty flavor and a soft, starchy texture when cooked. They are roasted or boiled as a snack, and used in soups, stuffings, purées, cakes, and flour across European and Asian cuisines. In France, they are candied as marrons glacés, while chestnut flour has long featured in traditional dishes in parts of Italy and East Asia. For centuries, chestnuts were an important staple food in many mountain communities, sometimes called the “bread tree” for their nourishing seeds.