Public domain illustration of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Recipes are good-will ambassadors.” Mrs. Cordell Hull as quoted in Pioneer “Vittals”
The glorious gold-orange globes of hachiya persimmons arrive in the market along with the autumn chill. There are several kinds of persimmons, but the ones generally available to me are the hachiya. These must be very ripe to eat raw or use in cooking. They have high tannin levels, which makes them bitter when unripe. When the persimmons become as soft as a ripe tomato, you can cut them in half, scoop out the flesh with a spoon, and eat them raw. Or you can use the pulp for breads, cakes, and puddings.
I found the recipe below, which I offer for historical interest, in a charming booklet compiled by Sarah Dougherty of Russellville, Tennessee. There’s no date on the book and no copyright to give us a hint. It would appear that Mrs. Dougherty lovingly collected old Tennessee recipes and probably self-published this tiny, three-by-five, brown-covered gem. According to the booklet, this recipe is from the mountains of East Tennessee and dates back to the 1800s.
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup seeded persimmons
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- Pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon soda dissolved in buttermilk
- 1 cup flour
- butter, the size of an egg
- 1/2 teaspoon each of spice, cinnamon and nutmeg
Mix all together and bake in moderate oven until done.
Serve with whipped cream.
