Persimmons are highly seasonal, rarely seen outside of late September through December. Their burnished orange colors personify autumn, and persimmon cookies are a favorite of mine this time of year. How to Use Persimmons There are two primary types of persimmons, with each type splintering off into several varieties. You've seen these exotic fruits resting in large bins at the market, but may be unsure of how to use them. Fuyu persimmons, the squat type, are hard, thin-skinned, and a ...
Spiced Fig Jam
Fall is in the air here in the Sierras. There's a new chill that wasn't there a couple of weeks ago, felt even while the sun warms my face. With the turn of a calendar page, nights are suddenly plummeting into the 30's, and some days barely rise into the 60's. On hikes through the woods, I smell tangy pine, dried sage, and autumn leaves, and hear the soft rustle of tall grasses. Pine cones are stripped clean by squirrels and chipmunks starting to hoard their winter stash. How is that even ...
Figgy Cardamom Snickerdoodle Cookies
Do you ever wonder where some cookie names come from? The name chocolate chip cookies is easy. Ditto for brownies (defined as a cookie bar), peanut-butter, ginger-molasses, and even jumble cookies. But there was a time in early New England culinary history when cookies were given playful names like plunkets, tangle breeches, kinkawoodles, and the infinitely more familiar snickerdoodle. One can only assume these were either named by children or for them, because they were simply more fun to ...
Fig and Anise Bread (Overnight Method)
Baking yeasted bread is easy, but it can be one of the most intimidating things to tackle if you've never done it. My first time, I almost convinced myself I couldn't do it at all. I was in culinary school, in my early 50's, struggling to keep up with all the much younger students in my class. I shoved baggy sleeves of an ill-fitting chef's jacket up past my elbows, only to have them immediately slump back down over my knuckles, as I re-read for what felt like the 11th time, the damn whole-wheat ...
Fig Crostata
Buttery crust with hints of apple cider sweetness, filled with figs simmered in orange juice, apple cider syrup, and cardamom. About a year ago, I was sitting in my Italian class and our teacher asked us all to express to the class (in Italian) a favorite Italian dessert. We were working with the verb piacere, translated ‘to be pleasing’, used when you want to say you like something. It’s a tricky little verb in how the sentence needs to be constructed, so it was a little more difficult ...
Fig, Ricotta and Honey Tart
Gorgeous tart of fresh figs, goat/ricotta cheeses, honey, and proscuitto, all presented on a puff pastry sheet. I know my limits better these days than in my youth, although some who know me may beg to differ. I’ve always liked to push myself as far as I could– both physically and mentally, and have learned best by my own mistakes. It’s something I’m hard-wired for, and changing that would be like asking a fish to stop swimming. One of the ways this shows up in my life is through ...
Brandied Figs with Orange Mascarpone
Brandied figs poached in honey, orange juice and anise, served with a scoop of orange zested mascarpone. Some foods were born to be together. Some examples of 1 + 1 = 3 are: Chocolate chip cookies & milk Peanut butter & jelly Apples & cheddar cheese The combination of their flavors elevates each food component to a level it can't get to on its own. They bring out the best in each other, like a trusted best friend. For me, 'figs & ...
Fig Apple Jam
Fig and apple jam with flavors of brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange. Figs are such a sensuous fruit, I think. When I eat them, I feel like I should be reclining on a divan with long lustrous hair spilling down my back; and lots of young muscular men fanning me with large palm fronds. And I should be Egyptian. OK, so none of that even remotely resembles my life. But I can still eat figs this time of year. And there is an abundance to choose from in the farmer’s markets now. There are literally ...
Grilled Pear, Fig and Endive Flatbread
Hearty appetizer of grilled pears, figs and endive arranged on flatbread and topped with ricotta and blue cheese. At least once a month here, I'll be showcasing a farm or ranch where I've been lucky enough to get a behind-the-scenes tour, along with a recipe I've created to highlight their "product". Thanks to being in the San Francisco Professional Food Society (and on their Board), and volunteering and doing some cooking classes for Marin Agricultural Land Trust, I've had some wonderful ...
