Jars of Chestnuts?

[Dizzied]

Has anyone seen jars of chestnuts yet? Our family chestnut tradition falls on Thanksgiving, not Christmas, and sometimes it's hard to find them this early.

Trader Joe's used to carry them seasonally, but when I was in the one in Brookline last Friday they said they didn't have any and weren't sure they'd be getting any. My local grocery store doesn't have them (Star Market, Quincy). I haven't been to Whole Foods yet -- could also check out Cardullo's, but everything there is so overpriced, even compared to WF.

Thanks!

[Dizzied]

Thanks all -- Trader Joe's got the vacuum-packed ones in -- they're so much easier than fresh. $3.50 for 7 oz., I think, which is not nearly the deal the jar used to be, but worth it for the convenience.

They were, however, out of pecans, which apparently have been missing for weeks due to a supply problem. Those are easier to find, obviously, but I consoled myself with pistachio-crusted toffee. Not helpful for my pie, but delicious.

[jen kalb]

great stuff - does your toffee have a solid toffee layer? the last batch we got was disappointing - I was totally able to leave it alone.

[tatamagouche]

I saw fresh ones just yesterday at...oh hell, where was I? I think Johnnie's at the St. Mary's T stop in Brookline. You should be able to find them fresh everywhere by now...

[Dizzied]

Thanks for all the replies -- maybe I'll be in luck and the TJ's in Cambridge will have the vacuum-packed ones tonight. Those jars there were such a deal -- half the price of Whole Foods -- I guess they were too good to last. I could hit the Fruit Center in a pinch, but the labor saved in buying them already shelled is immense...

[jen kalb]

there are lots of shelled chestnuts coming out of china now -these tend to be sold in vacuum sealed packs rather than jars and are inexpensive. Can anybody comment on the quality/substitutability of these?

[coriolis]

I like them for snacking. But they're smaller and taste a bit different from the chestnuts from TJ's and regular supermarkets. Also texture-wise, they're more moist. Not sure how they would taste in recipes.

[MaggieMuffin]

Whole foods has had them recently. $9.99 a jar.

[coriolis]

Trader Joe's on Boylston St. has vacuum packed shelled chestnuts--over $3 for a small pack. I miss the ones in the jars from a few years ago too--those were organic and under $3 for a huge jar.

[thegolferbitch]

I'm betting you're looking for marone glace? The candied chestnuts? Try the North End...start with Dairy Fresh Candies. If they don't have them they'll know who does.

[kbw18]

I saw jars of chestnuts at the Shaw's Market on Western Ave. (Allston) last week. They were in the produce section, next to the lemons (don't ask me why).

[Aromatherapy]

I was trying to think where I saw them recently--I think it was the Porter Sq. Shaw's.

[hiddenboston]

Fruit Center in East Milton Square has about a thousand pounds of loose chestnuts in their produce area. They looked really good--I don't remember the price, though.

[Pegmeister]

You could try William Sonoma. They had them last year at this time.