Kit ideas

[adrianka]

I don't know whether it's also true about the US, but when I was a kid autumn was a period for a) picking chestnuts and b) eating roasted chestnuts. I don't think there anything like that in the Shoppe, so I thought it might be interesting and a bit different.

Another one is mushroom picking. That's totally an autumn activity in Slovakia. However, from the comments Zora received on her mushrooms books I gather this is probably not true about the US, so unless I'm mistaken, this wouldn't be interesting for that many customers.

ETA: OK, so I get these don't sound very tempting, hehe. But adding some chestnut / mushroom elements in a normal autumn kit would be just as perfect from my point of view. Just in case. ;-)

[lovely1m]

Nope, not common here, at least not where I live.

[adrianka]

Thought so. Never mind. :-)

[Libby Pritchett]

LOL It's so interesting to hear about traditions in other countries. I'll admit that it never occurred to me that one would "pick" chestnuts. When I think about them, the only connection I make is with the Christmas song (which is my most disliked Christmas song in the entire world -- just a little random Libby trivia for ya).

Thanks for sharing that idea!

[adrianka]

So eating roasted chestnuts is not common in the US? Wow. You honestly don't know what you're missing. :-)

What we used to pick as children were the inedible variety. We used to make funny animals with them using knife and matches - like this.

The edible variety isn't that easy to find when you live in town (if you're lucky you can bake them at home - yum); but the smell of roasted edible chestnuts totally is November to me. In Luxembourg they sell them but I haven't seen stands in the street; however, in France chestnuts are the big thing. I sure had roasted chestnuts in Strasbourg and you can get SOOO many French chestnut products, especially in season.

[Traci Reed]

Yep, I was always told NOT to pick mushrooms LOL

[Traci Reed]

Some people roast chestnuts here, but it's not as common. When we used to live up in the foothills, we went to the Cornish Christmas festival and they would always roast chestnuts there.

[adrianka]

Originally Posted by Traci Reed

Yep, I was always told NOT to pick mushrooms LOL

Mushrooms are edible and rather yummy, eh. If you can recognise which are edible, which inedible and which are downright toxic. I only ever go mushroom picking with people who know, because I'm sadly ignorant in this respect. :-)

As I see it, it's actually a great incentive for beautiful forest walks in autumn.