Vickiauntmick's Journal, 16 September 2018

And a complimentary 3 prong ginseng plant of which I also dug up 

What kind of fruit is this? 

Enjoy those persimmons! I absolutely love those - one of my top 3 fav fruits - however, they cost $4 EACH here - except during December when I treat myself at only $3 apiece...lol We do have the Texas Persimmon that grows wild here but they are only about the size of an olive and are dark purple - when you get them ripe they are amazing!! 

Persimmons! Heavens fruit! My first choice among all fruits. Waiting for November to get ripe. Lucky you. 

Okay, now i am curious! I have heard of them but no idea what they are. 

Ooooh lovely 

If you place the persimmons in the freezer, when they have thawned out all the "pucker" has disappeared. Freeze them on a cookie sheet and store in the freezer in a plastic bag. You will have persimmons for cakes and cookies for the rest of the winter. Enjoy. 

Definitely cookies YUM. 

I had no idea about the freezing tip! Thank you!! And for those of you unsure what they are... Imagine the flavor of christmas and thanksgiving all rolled into one mushy pulp of a fruit 

I've never been able to enjoy persimmons because the first one I tasted wasn't ripe! I think I'll try that freezing tip! 

Ripe persimmons are uniformly orange, some varieties are of deeper color then others. There is a bit of give when squeezed, but they don’t get soft until frozen and thaw out. Discard the skin and eat the soft, pulpy flesh with a spoon. Use it in cookies, but expect a mild, sweet flavor. I add ginger or cinnamon. 

I used to hunt ginseng with my dad, what a great memory. I recognized it right away, but I had ginseng fever once or twice too LOL 

I used to have persimmon trees in the backyard of my first house. Now if I want them I walk to a small wooded area at the bank.  

What is ginseng fever? 

Mom made the best persimmon pudding when she was alive...topic every holiday since her passing. 

Tom...do you have her recipe for the pudding?  

No, I’m sorry. My dad and his primary caregiver searched for it while he was alive and never found one. He took a crack at it and came sort of close just guessing, but I don’t even know what he did. Mom’s was very dark reddish brown, sweet but flavorful, dense and just slightly chewy. Cooking time played a role, I suspect; if taller, fluffier, less dense or chewy, it was not as good. 

So many lost recipes with last family. My dad talks about my grandma's dried apple cakes and chocolate syrup...and how she made crabapple wine. Shes been gone for years