Any Italian gourmets here? What's the deal with castagne secche?

[CTyankee]

I was told that Italians consider them a real treat and so I bought them since my daughter is having a themed Italian Thanksgiving and I thought they'd be nice to have for snacking. I must say I am underwhelmed. For one thing they are hard to eat! Even if you manage to crunch your way through one or two, they are strange tasting: smoky and not sweet, the way I had imagined.

What am I missing here? Should I have soaked them in water before trying to eat them?

[AlCzervik]

1. my bil is an italian food importer and he loves them, me, not so much

i don't like pinoles either.

[CTyankee]

2. Please ask him for me

if there is a way of eating them that I don't know about. I spent molti soldi on them!

[AlCzervik]

4. he puts them in stuffing which seems to soften them up

you know from the steam. If i talk to him sometime soon i'll ask him other ways to make them not suck.

[Call Me Wesley]

3. Are these pre-baked?

Usually, the way to cook them is in a special pan above open fire.

[CTyankee]

5. They must be

I don't think you can eat a raw chestnut. Way to hard. That is why I was so surprised that the dried ones weren't easier.

P.S. The dried ones ain't so pretty to look at, either!

[Call Me Wesley]

6. Nah, they're not pretty.

But to be honest, it amazes me that pre-roasted chestnuts are sold. You should eat them fresh and warm. Perhaps if you try to re-heat them, they'll be better.

Here's how they're usually done:
http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blmisc38.htm