Friday, September 28, 2012

Indiana Persimmon Butter

This year in South Central Indiana, the persimmons are early and ready for making Persimmon Butter, just as it has seemed  everything has been  a month early.  The weather was the hottest in June and July (over 100 most days), gardens that were planted earlier than usual were the only ones that did well, and now the persimmons are ripe and falling in September rather than October.

While all over the country various crops have been total failures this year, the Persimmon crop in South Central Indiana appears to be a very good one!  Persimmons are abundant right now.  It is time to gather and put up for winter use.  Many people run them through a sieve and freeze the pulp for use later in cookies, puddings, cakes, breads and various recipes.  Another way of putting them up is to make Persimmon Butter and can it in canning jars or freeze the butter.  With the abundance of persimmons this year, perhaps putting them up both ways is the way to go.

I didn't have a recipe for Persimmon Butter, but I had tasted some a friend of mine made last year and it was delicious.  So I set out to try to recreate the flavor and consistency of hers.  She doesn't use recipes but rather just throws a little of this and a pinch of that and maybe a dab of something else together and ends up with some great dishes!  Anyway, I didn't come out with the exact flavor of hers, but I did come up with one that I really like and my family really likes.


Persimmon Butter
 8 Cups Persimmon pulp
1 1/2 Tablespoons baking soda (1/2 tsp per cup of pulp is a good way to figure this)
1 Lemon, juiced or 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C brown sugar
3 C white sugar

Place persimmon pulp in slow cooker crock pot (5 quart size) and pour the lemon juice over the pulp.  Cook on high for half an hour.  Add sugars, spices and baking soda.  Cook on low ( if your crock pot has a setting for hours set it for the 6 to 8 hours) uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking for 2 hours.  Butter will thicken as it cooks.  

Place butter in blender and puree after cooking.  Pack hot into sterilized canning jars.  Place hot sterilized rings and lids on jars tightly and invert the jars for 1/2 hour.  Turn jars right side up and allow to cool.  Jars will seal as they cool and will make a popping sound as they seal.  Place the sealed jars in a refrigerator or cool dark place for storage.  Will make about 4 pints.

Note:  The baking soda will cause foaming when added and cooking.  The foam will disappear and the butter will turn a dark, deep, rich red in color.  (mine turns almost black by the time it is done, depending on how much cloves and/or cinnamon you have added)

The butter should be able to stand up on a plate without separating and be about the consistency of apple butter. 

This Persimmon Butter makes a great gift at holiday and seasonal parties.  I often make up baskets or boxes of various jellies, jams and butters I have made and give as gifts.


Hope you enjoy! 

Just Me - Granny D  

Monday, September 3, 2012

Wild Game Food Source Endangered!

As we approach fall hunting seasons, we are learning the wild game food source many depend upon for winter is endangered.  Many deer reportedly have a deer virus and are sick, dying and possibly won't be available to hunt this year.  Add to that the facts of anthrax killing the cattle in Colorado and Swine Flu hitting the hogs and pigs in Indiana within the past month, it is very possible that many people who normally have a freezer of food for the winter will instead be visiting food pantries and soup kitchens.

North Carolina was the first state to report the deer virus was killing off their deer population.  Yesterday the same news came from the Chicago area of Illinois.  Hundreds of deer have been found dead!

Chicago Deer Dying From EHD

Deer Virus Spreads In North Carolina

If you are a deer hunter who plans on a deer or two in your freezer for the winter, this year may present some problems.  Both links above contain information on where the virus is,  where it is expected to spread, and what it looks like in the deer.  However, just as weather forecasters don't always know exactly where a storm will hit or when, remember these forecasters of where the virus may show up aren't always exact either.  That could be bad, or that could be good, depending on your location.

It is definite that an alternative source of food - meat, protein, veggies, fruit, dairy, etc.  is going to be necessary this year.   Droughts, wildfires, excessively high temperatures, now Hurricane Issac and floods have all contributed to bring about horrific growing conditions for farmers and backyard gardeners alike. Vegetarians may find their selves in a situation much like the meat lovers.  High prices, decreased availability, total lack of supply will result in whatever is available!  Probably won't be corn, lettuce, beans, peppers, tomatoes - and word out of Indiana today is that it won't be apples!  It is being reported this is the worst year for apples in 80 year history!!!

Food is going to be scarce and expensive this winter.  Get prepared now!  Check and see what the conditions are for the game in your area that you hunt.  What is the condition of the fish in your locale?  Are they full of mercury, oil, pcbs or have worms and lesions?  Many reportedly are unedible now.

Are there types of food that are in abundance in your area that you can put up for the winter?  What about foraging for items which grow naturally, have you taken advantage of that?  Do you know how to make fresh wildflower honey, dandelion jelly, persimmon preserves, mixed fresh wild greens, or prepare any of the various available wild foods?  Is your pantry full of canned items for the winter and your freezer filling up?  If not, you need to start now in order to save money and be able to eat, not starve.


Special recommendation is if you use corn meal, corn starch, corn flakes, anything with corn in it, then you should stock up now.  Corn was a disaster in itself this summer - corn fields were cut and baled to use to feed livestock this upcoming winter due to high prices of feed and hay,  plus the corn didn't make.  Many farmers sold off their livestock this summer due to the high cost of feed, hay and the desolation of corn crops.  Beef cattle and dairy cattle alike were sold off everywhere - that will be evident in the next several months in the supermarkets.

With the wild game food sources becoming endangered, the beef, pork and chicken industries threatened and suffering, the seafood and fish being contaminated, the produce and fruit being scarce, and dairy suffering from farmers selling out, this winter could bring about one of the most expensive and bleakest seasons for trying to feed the hungry in recent history.  Prepare now, eat well this upcoming season, and enjoy!

Just Me - Granny D