Sheana Davis Epicurian Connection

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 whole large eggs
1/2 cup sweet butter, melted
1 cup Hachiya persimmon puree
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
½ cup Maple Syrup
½ cup golden currants
½ cup toasted walnuts halves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 cup baking container thoroughly and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. In a large bowl, sift sugar, flour, cinnamon and baking soda into a bowl, add salt and whisk together. In s separate bowl whisk egg, persimmon puree, & vanilla extract until uniform

Gently fold and stir the flour mixture with the egg mixture. Add in the melted butter when mixture is nearly mixed. Pour batter into the buttered baking pan. Bake uncovered in a partial bain marie or on a baking sheet about 15-20 minutes.Bake pudding until middle is set and does not jiggle when tapped.Store in refrigerator for up to one week prior to serving. Remove 1 hour before serving and serve at room temperature.

In a small heavy bottom pot, heat maple syrup, toasted walnut halves and currants for 10-12 minutes or until syrup has reduced by ½. Genly pour over pudding and enjoy! Serve with a late harvest Zinfandel or Hard Pear Cider. Enjoy!

Sweet Fuyu Persimmon Salad
Created by Sheana Davis, The Epicurean Connection
Serves 4 or yields 4 cups

4 Fuyu persimmons
1 cup pomegranate seeds
¼ cup toasted pecans, chopped coarsely
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice

Prepare persimmons by slicing off each of the top and bottom and carefully peel skin away, removing as little fruit as possible. Remove core and cut into small cubes. Sprinkle with pomegrantes and pecans. Drizzle with orange juice and gently fold together. Serve at room temperature with a glass of Coturri Winery Charbono!

Types of Persimmons
FUYU: Medium, oval like a flattened apple or tomato, pale orange to deep red-orange color, non-astringent, firm-ripe.
GIANT FUYU (Jumbu or Hana Fuyu): Large somewhat irregular tapered shape, ripens quickly, very sweet, pale orange to deep red-orange color, non-astringent, firm-ripe.
CALIFORNIA FUYU:Medium, round with a slight point, orange to deep red-orange color, sporadic male blossoms, often seedy, non-astringent, firm-ripe.
CHOCOLATE: Small reddish-orange, flesh is streaked with brown when cross pollinated, soft-ripe.
HACHIYA: Large, acorn-shaped persimmon, deep orange-red color, soft-ripe.
JIRO: Very similar and often confused with fuyu, squarish and truncated, pale orange to deep red-orange color, non-astringent, firm-ripe.
TAMOPAN: Large, irregularly globed rounded, deep orange-red color, soft-ripe.
TANENASHI: Medium, cone-shaped, yellow-orange, early ripening, seed-less, more widely grown in the south eastern United States, soft-ripe.
EARLY GOLDEN: Small round deep orange color, soft-ripe.
GARRETTSON: Small round deep orange color, soft-ripe.
KILLEN: Small round deep orange color, soft-ripe.