Friday, November 02, 2007
These are native American persimmons growing down the road from me. They are much smaller than the Asian ones and a good bit sweeter. Persimmons tend to ripen right after the first freeze, though these small native ones seem to get ripe around this time of year even without a frost. If you are familiar with persimmons, then you know the dreadful experience of biting into one that has not ripened.
These native persimmon trees are much visited in the fall by possums and other small animals. I had a stand of them out back of my little farm in Atlanta that a huge possum used to live in.
Persimmon pudding was a very typical colonial period dessert. I think you could make it with the Asian persimmons available in the markets, though there will be a less persimmon-y taste to it.
This is one of my grandmother's recipes.
Persimmon Pudding
1 quart ripe persimmons
3/4 cup brown sugar firmly packed
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1 cup plain flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
heavy cream for topping
Work persimmons through a sieve, and measure one cup of persimmon pulp. Combine with sugar, milk and butter. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and stir into persimmon pulp until smooth. Pour into 1 and 1/2 quart baking dish and bake in a 325 oven until pudding pulls away from the sides of the dish ( approximately one hour). Serve hot or cold topped with heavy cream.
Unfortunately at this point in life I don't know where I can find a wild persimmon, so I have to make do with the tame ones. Still not bad, though...
MC
They are a thing of acquired taste, I believe: you either love 'em or hate 'em. Pawpaws are the same in that respect.