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German word of the day: Die Kastanie

The Local Germany
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German word of the day: Die Kastanie
Photo: depositphotos

Something you might come across as the German Christmas markets open over the next few weeks, Kastanie is the German word for chestnut.

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Chestnuts are harvested across Europe during the Autumn, ready to be served warm and roasted over the winter period. Germany is no exception and roasted chestnuts, often called Maronen, fill German Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas markets). You can buy the sweet nuts from little stalls, and you normally get them in a paper cone. 

Germany's love for the chestnut is clear. Every year from October 1st to November 15th in the Palatinate region of Germany the Kastanientage (Chestnut days festival) takes place. 

Restaurants serve delicious chestnut dishes, there are guided chestnut walks, culinary chestnut tours and three large chestnut markets: in Annweiler on Trifels on the 1st weekend in October, in Edenkoben on the 2nd weekend in October and in Hauenstein on the 3rd Sunday in October.

They also crown the first and only chestnut princess in Germany.

A Chestnut tree in a Dresden beer garden at night. Photo: DPA

There is also a street called Kastanienallee in the trendy Prenzlauer Berg district of Berlin. It was named after the horse chestnut trees, which were the first plantings on the road which was created in 1826. Now the street is lined not only with trees but also with boutiques, restaurants and cafés. 

Examples:

Der Kastanienbaum - Chestnut tree

Im Herbst fallen die Kastanien von den Bäumen.

In the autumn, chestnuts fall from the trees. 

Ich koche mit Kastanien gern. 

I like to cook with chestnuts. 

 

 

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