Although the web says they're pronounced as chink-a-pin we always called them chinky-pins. I remember picking them and though some years were better than others we picked them when they came in. When the husks opened and the season was in every kid had them in their pockets. They made great snacks and I'm sure they are pretty nutritious too. A wild dwarf version of the chestnut, Chinquapins grew all around my childhood home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of VA. The enjoyment in sharing and eating them made the pain of plucking them from their thorny husks worth it. One year the harvest was overly abundant and I was able to pick and sell them at the near by country store less than a mile from my home. They sold like hot cakes to locals and tourists and I turned a little profit.
Did you ever pick and eat wild treats?
Hope you have a beautiful Wednesday!
Kim