The chestnut natural, noble or eatable (Castanea vesca Gaertn., Castanea vulgaris Lam., Castanea sativa Mill.) forms extensive plantings in Middle and Southern France, Spain and Italy. There is known the chestnut on Etna Mountain that have nearby 4 sazhen in diameter. With fast growth in a youth, in 200-300 years old age this tree reaches up to 35m of height and 2, 0-3,5m of thickness, lives till about 500 or more years.

Due to contain of tannins the trunks of chestnut have longevity and are highly appreciated as a building material. Beautiful strong wood finds various applications in joiner's business, and the most expensive wine tunes are made of this tree.

Fruits - the nuts sitting on 1 - 3 in thorny coat; their coat is skinny - ligneous, shining, brown, mostly naked. The middle of fruit is pulpy, lightly - creamy, are rich of starch, sugars, proteins, have fats, organic acids, vitamins, enzymes. Unripe chestnuts are rich with vitamin C.

Chestnuts - the valuable food and flavouring product that is popular in the south of the Europe, in Transcaucasia. Unfortunately, they can not be long stored, because they get out of order very fast. Nuts of a chestnut are very tasty and nutritious, especially fried or candied; they also are used in fresh way or boiled, they are processed in flour, coffee drink, and spirits. It is known more than 20 culinary recipes of the first, second and dessert dishes from fruits of a chestnut.

From dried fruits people prepare flour that on caloric content does not concede wheat flour. For bread cooking chestnut flour is used in a mix with wheat or rye flour, with addition of salt to reduce sweet taste. From chestnut flour flat cakes are baked and a liquid porridge is cooked. From fruits of a chestnut the glazed (candied) chestnuts are prepared, which have the popularity in the whole world and are important subject of export for many Western European countries. From the roasted chestnuts a substitute of coffee is received.

As an auxiliary substance chestnut broth or extract from the various parts of a plant containing tannin substances, is used as a knitting, wound healing and anti - burning material.

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