All Roads Lead to the Kitchen: persimmons

Persimmon Pudding #Thanksgiving #dessert

Okay, so I'm about to put this out there—until recently, I thought persimmons were a tropical fruit. I think it's because I didn't eat a single persimmon until a few years ago. Whenever I saw them, they were at the market, in the produce section next to the coconuts, star fruit, pineapple, papaya, mango...you get the point. Of course, that seems to be where the section they display the pomegranates in, too. A person can get the wrong idea.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming it on the supermarkets. My ignorance is my own fault (if fault is really a thing here). Recently I was paging through books and magazines to help me plan out my Thanksgiving menu when I stumbled across an article about and recipe for persimmon pudding. I was dumbfounded when I read the title "Indiana Persimmon Pudding". What? Indiana? I live in Indiana. Little did I know, persimmons grow wild across much of Southern Indiana and Illinois. Well, I live as north as you can get in Indiana without being in Michigan. So that explains it.

Apparently persimmon pudding is a tradition and a staple in the Midwest (where I've spent almost my entire life) and the South. And yet, to me it was a brand new discovery. Trying to remember how many times I've actually eaten persimmons in my life, I can remember approximately three times before now. THREE. I just never really knew what to do with them (and apparently didn't bother doing even minimal research). But this little tidbit of knowledge reeled me in.

I hope you're kicked back enjoying your gifts with friends, family, good food, and a glass full of a warming beverage. Hopefully a cocktail. You know, if you have nothing to do but enjoy the day anyway, why not!?

If you want something that packs a punch so big you won't need those slippers to warm your toes... so warm and spicy and inviting that you won't need those Christmas decorations... and so filled with bourbon that all the bent boxes and torn-up wrapping paper in the world won't bother you.

Plus, there's persimmons in there. Bourbon, persimmons, and lots of cozy warming spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, and allspice. Curl up next to the twinkling tree. Something new and shiny in one hand. This cocktail in the other. Enjoy your day!

Spiced Persimmon-Bourbon Fizz

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 30-40 minutes (to make the per

Cook Time: 30-40 minutes

Keywords: beverage alcohol persimmons Christmas New Year American winter

Ingredients (1 large or 2 small cocktails)

for the cocktail

3 oz. bourbon
2 oz. spiced persimmon puree
1 oz. lemon juice
ginger ale

to garnish

cinnamon stick
freshly grated nutmeg
thin slice of persimmon (peel off)

for the spiced persimmon puree

2 c. water
¾ c. brown sugar
3 fuyu persimmons, roughly chopped
1" piece of cinnamon stick
1 whole star anise
big pinch freshly ground nutmeg
big pinch ground ginger
pinch ground cardamom
pinch ground allspice
¼ tsp. vanilla bean paste

Instructions

Cocktail:

Combine bourbon, spiced persimmon puree, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker with ice to fill. Shake well and strain into a glass, leaving at least a half an inch of head room. Top off with ginger ale. Garnish with a grating of fresh nutmeg, a thin slice of persimmon, and a cinnamon stick, if desired.

to make the Spiced Persimmon Puree (yield: ~1⅔ c.):

Combine the water and the brown in a medium pan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add the persimmon, cinnamon stick, and the ground spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low bubble and allow to cook until persimmons are soft and water has reduced, ~30-40 minutes.

Remove cinnamon stick and star anise. Pour into the jar of a blender, and carefully (it's hot!) puree until smooth. Set a strainer over a bowl and push the puree through, discarding solids. Depending on the size of the holes in your strainer, you will have more or less "pulp". Stir in vanilla bean paste.

Transfer puree to a jar, and store in the refrigerator.

notes:

The brown sugar in the persimmon puree lends a brown color to the drink, but it also lends a nice, molasses-like flavor to the puree. If you prefer it look more orange, use granulated sugar in its place.