When life gives you lemons you make lemonade.  When life gives you persimmons it’s not that easy.

Our backyard tree has reached full size and we have a wicked huge pile of persimmons sitting on the kitchen counter.  You know it’s a problem when I slip back into my New England accent.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes.  Enjoy!

Savory

• Grilled Pork with Persimmon Relish and Celery Root Puree – yum!
• Farro and Black Rice Salad with Persimmon and Pomegranate – a new favorite in my house
• Persimmon Cranberry Sauce – can be made ahead and stored until Thanksgiving

Sweet

• Persimmon Pomegranate Upside Down Cake – I suggest making this when company visits, otherwise you’ll want to eat the entire cake yourself!
• Warm Persimmon Compote – yummy with ice cream or over waffles
• Persimmon Ice Cream – tastes great and the color is amazing
• Persimmon Caramel Sauce with Bourbon – a good way to use those overly ripe and mushy persimmons

Cocktails

• Persimmon Syrup – the base flavoring for my cocktails
• Persimmon Spritzer – for the kiddies
• Persimmon Bourbon Cooler – a lighter alternative
• Persimmon Bellini – bubbly and tart
• Nihombashi Cocktail – aka Persimmon Manhattan – strong enough for “those” family gatherings – you know what I mean

Do you have a great persimmon recipe?  I’d love to hear about it.  Please.. we’re desperate!

This is the second half our 2013 harvest.  We picked over 300 persimmon from a single tree.  I’ve become a pro at peeling and chopping.