Persimmon Bread.

The persimmons are just starting to ripen (they really need a hard freeze) and it’s a race between us and the deer for them.

American Persimmons are surprisingly flavorful, especially once they’re ripe. While they’re still green, they’re hard, bitter and unpalatable. Ripe means almost rotten looking, decidedly gooey and gross.

They’re also more than a bit of a pain to clean. So here are a few tricks to make persimmon bread or muffins. (By the way if you have a friend with a tree, don’t tell them about it. Just ask for the fruit.)

The easiest way to prepare pulp is to mash cleaned persimmons with about a cup of sugar. Then add about a cup of milk and stir. Filter the mix through a strainer and voila you have persimmon pulp already dissolved for baking.

I use it much the way I’d use banana’s to make banana bread.

Persimmon pulp as prepared above.

1. 2 cups flour
2. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
3. dash of salt
4. cinammon, ginger and possibly a tiny hint of allspice or nutmeg.
5. 2 eggs.

Mix together. Add some flour if it’s too soupy and bake in a greased pan and a moderate (350 F 200C) oven until done. I usually make muffins.