2023 Fall Newsletter

Persimmons A Native American Treat and Tradition

The wild persimmon, a distinctively American fruit, was a special treat in the diet of Native Americans as well as white settlers. Long a food of Native Americans, persimmons were a favorite fruit of many tribes, either eaten plain or cooked into sweet puddings. Persimmon pulp was mixed with corn meal and ground acorns to make breads and thick soups. Traditional medicinal uses of persimmons ranged from treating sore throats and mouths, to indigestion, thrush, and bloody bowels. Persimmon served as an astringent. The bark was chewed for heartburn. A bark infusion of persimmon, alder, white walnut, and wild cherry was used for toothache. Cold water poured over the bark supported bile production and served as a tea for liver health. The following recipe is reprinted from the, "Miami Nation News," a periodic publication of the Miami Nation of Oklahoma. Persimmon Pudding Ingredients: 2 eggs 1 cup sugar 2 cups persimmon pulp * 1 3/4 cup four by Jeanne d’Arc Daganet

1 cup buttermilk 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. baking powder 1 cup half & half Method:

Add dry ingredients to the persimmon pulp. Next, add in the wet ingredients. Pour batter into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 60 minutes or until set. Serve hot or cold with a dab of whipped cream on top. *Persimmon pulp: To harvest persimmons, they must drop to the ground. Do not pick off of the tree as they would be profoundly bitter. Collect persimmons, wash and rinse. Using a colander or food mill with wooden pestle ,smash to separate seeds and skin from pulp. Compost seeds and skin and save pulp. The pulp can also be frozen in ziploc bags.

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