Their rich texture and taste belies the fact that chestnuts are in fact quite low in fat, making them an ideal ingredient in many recipes. Fresh chestnuts are at their peak in the fall and are a wonderful addition to soups, stews, vegetable dishes and their natural sweet taste makes them a great dessert ingredient. Dried chestnuts are available year-round, and with pre- soaking, achieve as creamy and sweet a taste and texture as their fresh counterparts.