“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15–16, ESV
“Persimmon Pudding Equals Fond Family Memories”
Fall has always been my favorite time of year because of the splashes of color outside our Hoosier home. Vibrant orange, yellow, and deep red leaves adorn the trees, and that signals one very important thing in Indiana—ripe persimmons. My family knows the minute it’s officially fall, it’s time to head to our favorite persimmon tree and retrieve the sweet fallen fruit before the deer and raccoons eat every last bit of it. You see, my family knows there will be no persimmon puddings in their future if we don’t beat the animals to the ripe persimmons.
Now, if you’re not from the Midwest, you might not have heard of this delicious dessert, so let me fill you in—it’s yummy! It’s a family favorite of ours, and after years of practice using my mother-in-law’s recipe, I can make one mean persimmon pudding.
But you can’t make a persimmon pudding without persimmon pulp, and you can’t get persimmon pulp without gathering persimmons and going through the process of straining that precious pulp. Unless, of course, you buy persimmon pulp from someone else.
I’ve had to resort to buying pulp from others over the years because our family was simply too busy to squeeze in “a persimmon gathering and straining day.” But the years my husband and our two daughters have made time to search for the best persimmon tree with a plethora of persimmons, gathered them up, and strained the pulp ourselves—those are the years my persimmon pudding tasted the sweetest.
Ok, maybe the pudding wasn’t actually sweeter, but the memories of our “Adams Family Persimmon Day” certainly were. If I’ve learned anything as matriarch of our family which now includes two married daughters and five grandchildren, it’s this–don’t become so busy that you miss out on life’s sweetest opportunities. All of the commitments and deadlines and housework and bills to pay will still be there. They will always be there. But your family time—those precious memory-making moments—won’t be. Just like harvesting ripe persimmons lasts only a little while, making priceless memories with your children goes by all too fast.
Today, I challenge you to make room in your schedule and your heart for life’s sweetest opportunities. Seize the day! Enjoy the moment! And, just in case you can get your hands on some persimmon pulp, I thought I’d share my mother-in-law’s pudding recipe with you. Trust me; you’re going to love it. And, no, I’m not shipping you any of my precious persimmon pulp. You’ll simply have to plan your own “family persimmon gathering outing”…enjoy!
*If you don’t live in an area where you have access to a persimmon tree, you can order your own persimmon pulp and have it delivered to your door by going to the Indianapolis Orchard website or by going to Tuttle Orchards on Facebook.
Here’s the recipe from my book, “The Perfect Persimmon: History, Recipes, and More” (Red Lightning Books):
Martha’s Practically Perfect Persimmon Pudding
Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1+1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1+1/2 cups of milk
- 1+1/2 cups of persimmon pulp
Cream butter, sugar, and eggs together.
Mix the flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a separate bowl.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture a little at a time until blended.
Grease a 9-by-13 glass pan and pour in the persimmon pudding mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees until the sides pull away from the glass pan.
The recipe says to bake for 50 minutes but I never cook it more than 30 minutes. (My oven must be supersonic, lol.)
Let your persimmon pudding cool and cover with plastic wrap.
Lastly, place in fridge to chill. We like it served cold with whipped topping. Enjoy!
By Michelle Medlock Adams
Michelle Medlock Adams is an inspirational speaker, a NY Times Best-selling ghostwriter, and an award-winning journalist of more than 100 books including, They Call Me Mom and Dinosaur Devotions. Michelle is married to her high school sweetheart, Jeff, and they have two married daughters and five adorable grandchildren. When not writing or teaching writing, she loves bass fishing with her hubby, Doris Day movies, and all things leopard print. Learn more at Michelle’s website.
