Wednesday, May 07, 2008

A bright start to the day...


Are persimmons available in your part of the world? Have you tried them?
I'd never eaten them until I discovered them at a stall in Townsville's Sunday markets a couple of years ago. The stall holder had actually brought them down from her farm at Ravenshoe on the Atherton Tableland. (Note to self: We must plant a persimmon tree at Tarzali.)

Luckily for us, the farmer does this every week during the persimmon harvest season in autumn.
I love them. They are like a cross between an apple and an apricot with a dash of something nutty or buttery. And because they're bright orange, I imagine they're full of goodness like pumpkins, but sweeter, and without the acidity of citrus fruit.

Right now, they're my breakfast fruit instead of pawpaw. Yes, I always like to start my day with something bright. Why not?


When we were in Japan last year, we saw persimmon trees covered in fruit wherever we went. They looked gorgeous. So bright and cheerful. And this little Japanese house is The Hut of the Fallen Persimmons.

I usually eat my persimmons raw, but the recipe sounds rather delicious.

Heavenly Persimmon Ice Cream Pie

I/2 litre vanilla ice cream, softened
2 cups persimmon pulp
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups whipped cream
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Spread ice cream in a biscuit crumb pie shell and shill in freezer. Combine pulp with the 1 1/2 cups sugar, salt, spices and vanilla. Fold in 1 cup cream. Pour mixture over ice cream in pie shell. Cover with foil and freeze 4 hours. Remove from freezer and garnish with remaining 1/2 cup of whipped cream and almonds..

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

As you can see, I am catching up today!! I have never had a persimmon, I only just had a pomegranate this year. The fruit sounds delicious and the Ice Cream pie sounds delicious!! Thank you for the recipe!!
Although the weather here has been in the high teens just 3 weeks before Winter, I am having porridge for my breakfast these days!!!