First procure a good quantity of chestnuts. Plain and roasted chestnuts may be sold at one table. They should be measured into pint and half-pint paper bags, ready for customers. A second table will be needed for bonbons. An excellent taffy is made by stirring chopped chestnuts into plain molasses candy when ready to take from the fire. Caramels are improved by adding chopped chestnuts. Chopped chestnuts and figs added to crisp sugar candy make a good sweet-meat. Shelled chestnuts are glazed by dipping in hot sugar candy. A variety of candies can be made from this receipt: One pound of confectioners' sugar, well beaten white of one egg, one tablespoonful of cold water, one teaspoonful of vanilla. Mix well together and mould on a board. Mix it with chopped chestnuts and cut into cubes. Small balls of the cream can be rolled between the hands, and a whole chestnut (shelled) pressed on one side. The cream can be colored with fruit coloring and different shapes can be made from this. Shelled chestnuts dipped in melted sweet chocolate are delicious. Old "chestnuts" are prepared by putting old jokes in chestnut shells and glueing them together. These will cause much fun and merriment for the young. Have a large bowl of water with three chestnuts in it and let each guest be given two toothpicks to try to get the chestnuts out of the water with the toothpicks, without getting the fingers wet. PROGRAM FOR CHESTNUT SOCIABLE Have some one recite "Curfew Shall Not Ring To-night" and "Over the Hills to the Poor House." Let some one sing "The Old Oaken Bucket" and "Annie Laurie." Have some one read "The Sword of Bunker Hill" and "Bingen on the Rhine." Any variety of entertainment can be gotten up with a little forethought. |