Live a different adventure from your usual daily routine, away from stress and tension, in close contact with nature and an area almost untouched, it seams a dream, but you can make it real!
Try in our chestnut woods a direct collection of the autumnal fruit par excellence, the chestnut.
Our forests are located in the municipality of Caprese Michelangelo (AR), a place famous for the so-called “brice” in the local dialect, which they received in 2008, the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin). All the land is certified by the “Suolo e Salute” organization as organic, in fact, no chemical agent is used, but it’s performed only the cleaning and the pruning of plants.
It is truly an experience for all, comfortable clothes to walk in the woods, a stick and a bit’ of will are enough. It can be a fun and alternative way to spend a few hours in the company of friends, one Sunday with the family, to find a new way to experience the forest, to do physical activity, to introduce children to the nature, the origin of what they eat and how much effort it is to produce them behind.
Light the fire just arrived home to cook and enjoy freshly picked fruit it’s a pleasure that no supermarket can give.
The easiest way is to eat them raw directly, removing the outer skin and the inner one, otherwise you can cook to the fire, boiled, glazed, made jam or ground into flour and used for various recipes.
Recall that Caprese is famous for its “Marroni” (brown), the variety of chestnut for excellence, so much so that every year it’s organized a well-attended festival which takes place in October.
The village of Caprese Michelangelo, located in the Tuscan Upper Tiber Valley, is famous for the birth of Michelangelo Buonarroti and it hunkers down on top of a hill where you still have the remains of the medieval castle. Inside, in the birthplace of Michelangelo, the Museum of Michelangelo was inaugurated, where you can find reproductions of the artist’s masterpieces and other works of contemporary artists. The country is small, it is easily to visit on foot, the food is king and in the various restaurants you can taste the typical products of the area at the most competitive prices.
Collection periods:
The best time to collect chestnuts is generally October, obviously it depends on the trend of the season.
The chestnut is a very delicate fruit, its fruiting sometimes be brought forward or defer depending on the state of the climate.
So it’s possible do the excursions throughout the month of October and beginning of November.
How to collect:
The collection is very simple, you have to dress up comfortable and resistant clothes to go into the woods, boots with non-slip and durable gloves, such as leather, to protect your hands from thorns of the chestnut husk. Equip yourself with wicker basket or burlap sacks so as to breathe the fruit, then we do not recommend plastic bags or other non-breathable materials, and a long stick, with which “beat” and open completely the husks on the ground. Besides, it can also be useful as a support to overcome the most inaccessible points. It should not be used instead to bring down the chestnut husks remained on the tree, as it indicates that they are not yet mature.
How to preserve:
Chestnuts can last for a couple of weeks if kept in a cool place, otherwise there are several methods to extend its preservation, such as soak them in water for 5/6 days, change the water and put them back in soak as many days. You can affect and freeze after a night in soak to discard those that float, or cook before and then remove the peel and freeze them.
PROGRAM AND SCHEDULE:
Groups
Morning: meeting at 9 or 10 in Caprese Michelangelo
Duration: throughout the morning
Dining: it can be arranged in various restaurants with local menu based on chestnuts, mushrooms and truffles
Afternoon: it is recommended sightseeing in Caprese Michelangelo and the nearby towns of Anghiari and Sansepolcro.
Prices and other information
Rate: generally the price is per person with unlimited collection
For more information please fill out this form.
We are willing to make arrangements with tourism agencies, hotels or others who want to offer their customers this particular activity.
e Tuscany Food Awards 2021 