Marrons glaces`

It's like a scene out of The Godfather except....different. OK, really different. We were in Connecticut visiting our friends who recently made the move out of Manhattan to the...(gasp) suburbs. They don't even have kids yet so I'm thinking they really need to get their heads looked at. Except I have to admit, if their new surroundings are considered "vanilla suburban living" than you can maybe (big maybe) sign me up. Their town subsides on beach-front property, a lot of sailing and what I imagine to be a high percentage of crustacean consumption in the summer months. It was in this unlikely setting that Jenson (and myself) had our first interaction with Marrons glaces, or chestnuts candied in sugar syrup and glazed. These pieces of heaven originate in southern France and northern Italy. That came straight from Wikipedia in case it wasn't painfully obvious. 

What actually made this sort-of-kind-of Godfatherish....was the other couple at the house- our friends from Como, Italy, Andrea and Chiara Alfieri. Now, they are the real Italian deal. And Mama Mia` can Andrea cook. For the love of God the man works for a pasta company and owns a tie company. So he even looks good while he chops garlic and wants others to do the same. On this particular afternoon he cooked with pasta that is not yet on the American market. I didn't even know that could be a thing. But it is. We were basically eating bootlegged pasta. But I was so wrapped up in my own glorious pasta and large glass(es) of red wine I didn't even think to take photos of the meal or of Jenson eating. (Was he even eating?)  Feeding my child was not remotely on my mind. But then I started to feel bad. And that's when Chiara suggested we get the homeade marrons glaces`that her mom just sent over from Italy. 

As you may know, my child is orthodontically challenged. Read: He barely has one tooth. I can imagine eating glazed chestnuts with no teeth is not an easy feat. But he seems to understand that when you are in the presence of culinary greatness you rise to the occasion. And he did just that. As far as I was concerned, this particular Sunday he was at the apex of weekend brunches. 

LOCATION: The Saxe Residence, Rowayton, CT