Vintage Eats Recipe: 1990 Persimmon Pudding– Or is it?

Have you ever made a mistake in the kitchen and not known it was a mistake until after you’ve eaten the item –and it tasted delicious?

I have. In fact, I may have created a new recipe – all with a mistake born of ignorance.

Let me explain.

It has to do with persimmons.

I live in a part of the Midwest where persimmons are not prolific. In fact, I didn’t know what they were, other than some kind of fruit.

I felt better when produce managers of major grocery stores in my area told me they not only didn’t stock persimmons, but none of them knew what they were either.

So, with no experience in handling persimmons and no chance of purchasing them, I’ve always ignored recipes with persimmons.

Then, during a recent shopping trip at a grocery, there they were!

Their labels stated ‘persimmon’ and these particular ones were beautiful! They looked like pears but since I had never seen red pears, I figured they were a different type of fruit.

The deep red color appealed to me as red is my favorite color. A glance at the tiny label convinced me I had a persimmon in hand. I purchased three of them.

At home, I happily found a recipe for Persimmon Pudding in ‘The American Country Inn and Bed and Breakfast Cookbook Volume 2’ (1990). My new fruits would go in this recipe.

Granted, the pulp tasted like pear. I had already disposed of the labels so I couldn’t verify that it was a persimmon. But I was confident and proceeded to make the Persimmon Pudding recipe.

The result was fantastic!

The fruit baked well. The recipe provided a tender, flaky crust.

My family enjoyed it so much that I planned to make it again. It was only upon digging on the internet for more persimmon recipes that I discovered the truth — my big mistake.

Perhaps my New Year’s resolution should be that I read labels more accurately.

As you may have guessed from viewing the fruit, it was not a persimmon, which is shaped more like a tomato, but indeed a pear – a Starkrimson (pronounced star-KRIM-son) variety.

The Starkrimson was discovered in Missouri as a fluke on a branch of red pears growing on a tree in the 1950’s.

It was patented and propagated by Stark Brothers Nursery, hence the name Starkrimson. Since the 1950s, the Starkrimson is more common in produce markets.

Starkrimson pears are very juicy and in season from August through November. I know we’re out of season but I’m giving you a heads-up! They may be simply labeled as Red Pears.

They can be sliced fresh for salads, eaten alone, or as part of a charcuterie board for an indescribably gorgeous pop of color. 

Tip: Ripen pears at room temperature; only refrigerate them to slow the ripening process once the pear is ripe and ready to eat.

So. My culinary mistake resulted in a new recipe that we adored.

Can I claim this as an ‘official’ new recipe? I’ve never created a new recipe, always relying on others to come up with winners.

If so, I’m pretty proud of myself. Didn’t Thomas Edison make many attempts to invent electricity before he got the real thing? Just call me Eddy.

One last note – I topped our servings with vanilla yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon. What a yummy dessert. Pears are available year-round in most markets (I bought some this week). Be sure to give this recipe a try.

**

On a more serious note, I want to mention the recent death of Chef Elle Simone Scott. Some of you may be acquainted with her as she was a regular cook on PBS’ ‘Cook’s Country.’ She died of ovarian cancer at age 49.

She had a podcast called ‘The Walk-In’ and was the author of “Boards: Stylish Spreads for Casual Gatherings”, a book filled with ideas for stylish food trays. In addition, Chef Scott was involved in many other ventures that advanced cooking in our world today.

I was listening to Chef Scott’s podcast a couple of years ago when she mentioned her battle with cancer. She had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2016 so it was a long journey for her and those around her. She was interviewing a guest who also had cancer and they bonded over that shared experience (I don’t recall who that person was).

We had just received a diagnosis for prostate cancer for my husband and I was still reeling with that devastating news. Hearing Chef Scott talk matter-of-factly about her cancer calmed me. She had been dealing with it for several years and still had a successful career.

Chef Scott’s words gave me hope. I never thanked her for that episode and how much it aided me. I wish I had left a comment at the podcast so she could have been blessed by knowing how much her words meant to me.

But I’m going to forgive myself. I can’t do everything right, especially when I’m still grieving greatly for the loss of my husband who passed in 2024.

Instead, I can resolve to be more aware of the blessings of words when applied in the right way.

Condolences to Chef Scott’s friends and family who are no doubt missing her greatly.

**

Persimmon Pudding (or Pear Pudding)

½ cup butter, melted

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup raisins

½ cup walnuts, ground (I deleted this item)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

3 persimmons, very ripe, seeded (or 3 ripe pears, washed and unpeeled; cut out any bad spots)

2 eggs, beaten

Butter a pudding mold or coffee can. (I used a 9-in.x9-in. pan lined with parchment paper)

In a large bowl combine butter, sugar, vanilla, raisins, walnuts, and lemon juice.

In a separate bowl sift dry ingredients.

Fold dry ingredients into the butter mix.

Mash the fruit pulp with a fork or food processor.

Combine with eggs and mix well.

Add to batter.

Pour batter into prepared mold, filling mold 2/3 full.

Cover with aluminum foil and place in a larger pan.

Pour ¾ cup water in large pan or whatever amount is needed to fill no higher than the pudding mix.

Steam two hours and 30 minutes in simmering water.

Remove from oven and allow to cool with foil removed for a few minutes.

Top with whipped cream, ice cream, or vanilla yogurt.

Yield: 12 servings (1/2 cup)