Persimmon Bread

Another persimmon from Grant. Can't let that go to waste so I mixed up a quick persimmon bread dessert from James Beard's recipe.

I sifted together 1 3/4 cup flour, 3//4 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, and 1 1/4 cup sugar. I made a well in the center of the dry ingredients and added in 1 cup persimmon purée, 1/2 cup cooled melted butter, 1/3 cup scotch whiskey, and 2 eggs. I mixed that all well and then stirred in 1 cup of raisins and 1 cup of chopped dried apricots. It a baked in a 9 in loaf pan for a light winter dessert treat. Nice for breakfast toast too.

Gifts From Grant

James' friend Grant has a yard full of fruits and flowers from his native Australia (or other tropical regions). We've had avocados, grapefruit, guavas which quickly became a couple small jars of jam and most recently bright orange Hachiya persimmons just ripe enough for a batch of cookies.

I creamed one stick of butter with 1 1/2 cups of sugar and added in one beaten egg. the pulp of one large persimmon, and a dash of brandy (about 1 tsp). Into the well mixed liquids I sifted in two cups of flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg and a pinch of cloves and gave it a good stir. Next I added in about 1 cup of raisins, mixed them in and dropped the batter by rounded teaspoons onto a silpat lined cookie sheet to bake for 15 minutes at 350º. When the cookies had cooled just a bit I dusted them with powdered sugar.

Thanks Grant!