Autumn knocks on the door in various forms: colors, cold weather, the first day of school and in Sarajevo - the smell of roasted chestnuts, sold at open stands up and down the city. One of the sellers invented his own roaster which peels and roasts chestnuts by itself.

“This unique chestnut roaster is my own invention, and it operates on gas and electricity,” said Husein Kicanovic, who came to the capital from the northeastern town of Bihac.

The roaster’s fans run on electricity while the tube ovens that roast the chestnuts run on gas, he explained, adding that “everything is automated.”

Kicanovic makes a living off various chestnut products.

“I have not long ago put together a special project and programme for the protection of chestnuts, we got significant financial resources for it from the European Union and colleagues from Bihac, Velika Kladusa, Buzim, and the surrounding area are involved in it as well,” he said.

Kicanovic said he frequently visits various fairs throughout the country and that, together with several friends, he constantly gathers chestnuts.

“We wanted to promote chestnuts to Sarajevo’s citizens as our brand,” he said, adding that he will be serving Sarajevans peeled roasted chestnuts at the downtown Alija Izetbegovic square for the next month.