Autumn is like a kaleidoscope—suddenly, it seems all kinds of delicious treats emerge from the mountains, lakes, treetops, and fields, taking turns to tempt our appetites.

In autumn, sugar-roasted chestnuts are as essential as ice cream in summer! Who hasn’t waited in line at a chestnut stall, watching them tumble and roast under high heat before finally being scooped into a brown paper bag? On a crisp autumn evening, holding a warm bag of chestnuts, cracking them open, and popping them into your mouth fills you with a soft, sweet, and fragrant delight.

Source: iBaotu

Across China’s vast land, chestnuts are widely cultivated, with nearly 20 provinces producing them. Among them, Qianxi chestnuts from Hebei are celebrated for their large size, plump flesh, and thin, easy-to-peel skin. They are sweet, nutritious, and often called the "Eastern Pearl." Luotian in Hubei is known as the gene bank of global chestnuts. Compared to chestnuts from other southern regions, Luotian chestnuts have higher sugar content and lower starch levels, giving them a sticky, glutinous texture and excellent taste—truly a nutritious green food.

Source: unsplash.com

Chestnut production in China can generally be divided into northern and southern varieties, with major producing areas including Dandong in Liaoning, the Yanshan Mountain region, Tai’an and Linyi in Shandong, the Dabie Mountains, and Yunnan.

Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen

Editor Ⅱ: Bao Gang

Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong