The Persimmon Crop #1
Nobody ever seemed to know what to do with persimmons when I had them. I have ideas of developing a Persimmon soufflé, but it won’t be while I am on this diet. Still, they are ripening as they always do this time of year. They’re really at their most gorgeous right now before they are ripe. They are velvety, cream, orange and pink, firm, and covering thousands of trees around town now that the leaves are falling. There will be literally tons of them, called cachi in Italian, and free for the taking.
I’ve decided to garner up recipes from around the web and make links to them. The first is Karenuccia’s Persimmon Bread.
That photo above comes from How Stuff Works, a genuinely useful site to bookmark.
That sounds fabulous…..
And there\’s a topic for discussion. I was watching a show about wasted food in the UK, which featured families throwing away fruit because it had got a bit of a bruise, or bananas that had discoloured on the outside (yes, I know, some people are idiots).
But fruit cakes and fruit breads *cry out* for well-ripe fruit. In particular, really good sticky banana bread……
And it\’s very satisfying to gather free fruit. :) Here in York there are lots of bramble bushes in a nearby park, and every summer I collect kilos and kilos to sprinkle over my breakfast fruit & yoghurt or fill pies.
The Italians do seem to prize this fruit, though I find it a bit over rated. The tree in our garden in Lazio usually produces a good crop and we just eat them as they are, not imaginative I know but not wasteful either.
The pumpkin I bought the other day had a small bruise. They were all pretty banged up by previous customers and some of they were moldy but when I peeled it, it didn’t look too bad. Also, there was no sign but apparently they were half off, so only one dollar for a whole pumpkin. What a deal!
I made melon bread one time instead of banana bread. It was really yummy. But, I have to admit, I’m not a big fan of persimmons. Thank goodness we don’t have any persimmon trees or I’d have to do something with them. Now, as long as no one gives me any….
@Mikeachim:
I am all about wild or neglected fruit. My exercise companion and I call ourselves “la ladre di frutta” or the fruit thieves. Everything from fresh berries to liquor– why not?
@Jennyff:
It’s all in what you are used to, I think. It isn’t just Italians because I had a Latvian friend who could eat a whole crate without sharing. For me they definitely need some doing with first.
@eg:
You know I think you cut off the bad and use the rest! No waste.
@Mary:
Well, try Karen’s bread!
I have three tubs of frozen persimmon puree. I will stay tuned for other ideas! I found a recipe for persimmon ice cream with black pepper syrup? Maybe not!
@Palma:
Wow! And you live where it never gets cold enough to pick them. The ice cream sounds terrific to me, but then I have been on this diet almost 3 weeks. At this point gummy bears sound good and I hate them.
Fruit Cakes are quite addictive and my mom always bake them every month.”–