Castagna Cuneo

This variety of chestnuts is cultivated in the numerous valleys surrounding the town of Cuneo, where origins of some of the oldest chestnut orchards can be traced back to the 16th century when the royal House of Savoy kept written annual harvest records about the quantity and characteristics of these prized nuts.

Cuneo chestnuts are cultivated at a relatively low altitude of about 200 to 1000m above sea level, and they thrive best in a temperate subcontinental climate, growing in well-drained soil, rich in organic matter. The chestnuts of Cuneo are marketed in four varieties: Castagne Fresche (fresh), Essiccate (dried), Fiocchi di Castagna (chestnut flakes), and Farina di Castagna (chestnut flour).

The ones intended for drying are traditionally desiccated in special masonry chambers, over constant low heat for about 30 days. Cuneo chestnuts are excellent even raw, however, when fresh they are most often boiled, roasted or used in various desserts and traditional Piedmont dishes.