Persimmons are one of my favorite fall fruits. I’ll gladly eat a Fuyu persimmon as a snack for lunch or with a few slices as part of a green salad. I also like to add persimmons to my cocktails and am always exploring new ways to prepare these lovely orange fruits. Recently, I came across a recipe that involved roasting the persimmons first before using them. This led to me trying it out and using the result for a Roasted Persimmon Old Fashioned.
Fuyu persimmons are squat, round fruit that can be eaten when they are still quite firm. I prefer this type of persimmon to the Hachiya persimmon - I’ve unfortunately eaten one of these when it wasn’t ripe yet and the resultant lip puckering was not pleasant. To say that the Hachiya persimmon is astringent if it’s not ripe is an understatement.
I had a handful of Fuyu persimmons left in the cupboard that I needed to use up before I traveled last week. I roasted one of them, muddled the result and added in whiskey and orange bitters. The result was a slightly sweet fall cocktail that was great for a lazy rainy night.
Roasted Persimmon Old Fashioned
Serves 1
1 roasted Fuyu persimmon, peeled (see below)
2 ounces whiskey
3 or 4 drops orange bitters
Muddle the persimmon and whiskey in a cocktail shaker. Add the bitters and ice. Shake and then serve over ice. Top off with club soda if desired. Enjoy!
Roasted Persimmon
1 Fuyu persimmon
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the top off of a Fuyu persimmon and put it in a baking dish. Drizzle vanilla over the persimmon. Roast for 45 minutes or until the persimmon is soft and slightly brown.
