Grandma Ella’s Persimmon Cookies
By Tom Andersen
The winds in the Valley have done their annual stripping of the persimmon trees exposing for us winter’s candy. I’m not exactly sure how so many persimmon trees made it into the San Lorenzo Valley, but I’m certainly not complaining. Someone recently told me they were an invasive species in California. They need to go. Shudder at the thought — fortunately they were talking about the American variety not the two Asian varieties; and I’m not so sure about that either. Don’t scare me like that. What would we do without our pickles, cookies, jam and wine, not to mention the sticky-gooey dried persimmons that I have to fight it out with the nine year olds for. And let me tell you, these local kids are pretty fast. Fortunately old age and treachery win the day; I bought a dehydrator and have an old oven with a pilot light, so there.
Anyway, my real favorites are persimmon cookies. For those watching their sugar intake, you probably shouldn’t be in the same room with these babies. Persimmons are perhaps the sweetest of all fruits so it’s pretty easy to say, “but it’s natural sugar so it can’t be all that bad…”. Okay, have one and call it a “cheat day”. For me, just looking at grandma’s worn out recipe card, probably from the 1920s, and conjuring up the memory of how good they are just does not cut it. I simply have to make them. I can’t stop myself. It would be like stopping a bear from hibernating; it would likely unbalance nature. Fortunately for the universe, I have cookie loving family and friends. As for you all, please make a batch and help keep the world right.
We have two types of persimmons around here. The Fuyu are flat. They can be eaten like an apple when they are still firm. These are the ones we have to beat the squirrels to. They are the ones I slice up thin and dehydrate into sticky sweet candy rings. Let them get pretty mushy if you want to make cookies from them. Hachiyas are heart shaped and are really astringent — really, until they are mushy. These are the best for cookie making (wine making as well).
Pick the hachiyas when they are slightly firm because it’s easier, avoiding a gob of mush in your hand. They need to be allowed to soften on the counter. Get your money’s worth out of that 25 cent shopping bag; put about a dozen in one and close it up. Some people put a soft apple in there too. Check them out every day. When they get squishy, they are ready to go. Cut them in half and scoop out the pulp.
Before we start, grandma was a farmer, she made lard and that’s what she used. It makes for a much different product and in fact some of it has more omega 3 fatty acids than just about anything. Enough about that.
Persimmon Cookies
1 cup soft persimmon pulp
½ cup sugar
½ cup lard
1 egg
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon each baking soda and powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Grandma used whatever nuts she had. Sometimes even black walnuts.
Cream the lard and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla. Sift (with a sifter) the flour and powders. Add to the creamed sugar and lard. Stir in the nuts, salt and pulp. Place teaspoon sized globs onto a greased cookie sheet. Cook 12 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let them cool then hide them in a secure location.
Thomas Andersen
Tom Andersen is a writer, cook, martial arts instructor and lifelong Felton resident. He explores the world of fermented food and drinks in print and online. Tom lives in Felton with his family and many pets. He is currently working on a cookbook about fermentation.
