Traditional Indiana Persimmon Pudding

Traditional Indiana Persimmon Pudding ~ The finished pudding sorta reminds me of  Betty's Indian Pudding/Hasty Pudding that I made a few weeks ago.  It also reminds me of some of the steamed English puddings that I've had in the past. 

 

Tonight, J and I were invited over to Bill and Cheryl's house (our neighbors) for dessert.  Cheryl had made a traditional Indiana favorite ~ Persimmon Pudding.  I've heard of persimmons before, I've seen signs in some of the shops stating that it's for sale ~ either the fruit, pulp, pudding or cake...but we've never tried it.

Cheryl dished up a bowl for each of us, I took a few pictures and we discussed the hows and whys of persimmons.  It's a fruit/tree that has strong roots (pun intended :) in the Hoosier State and there are lots of old-family recipes floating around for this traditional fall/winter pudding treat.  It can be eaten warm or cold; plain, or with whipped cream or milk.

Cheryl showed me an old, 1940's well used, 3-ring binder cookbook that had at least six different versions, all from the kitchens of various, long-gone Indiana homemakers who contributed to the book.  The biggest difference with the recipes seems to be the amount of flour that you add, and the 'to-stir or not-to-stir' choice. Cheryl makes the version where you have to stir it every 15 minutes. (stirring often, while baking, makes it an old-fashioned pudding & not-stirring makes it more like a dense cake)

I found this recipe that sounds a lot like the version Cheryl made.  From reading the recipe comments, I see that this simple recipe has stirred-up quite the passionate discussion ~ some say it's a traditional Indiana persimmon pudding, while others say that it's not how their long standing, passed down through the generations, family recipe is made.  Isn't it great that the lowly, little persimmon (that some discount completely and say is fit only for feeding to the hogs) can cause such a ruckus?!   I'm smitten and so is my son.

Bill and Cheryl ~  Thanks so much for having us over.  FYI ~ Roy wants to put in a request for a bowlful, too!   Pretty please...  : )