Non-Summer Whole Fruit Is Still Fun

I tend to get a bit melancholy as the days get shorter.  I wistfully remember swimming beneath the summer sun, patio parties in the warm evenings, and playing outside in the still-lingering light sometimes until 9 at night.  Then it snows, I strap on a snowboard, and it’s all good; I remember that I love winter, too.  The strange thing is that I go through a similar process with fruit.  I long for the sweet peaches, nectarines, and other spring and summer goodies that feed my enjoyment of whole fruit cocktails.  Then I remember that I love the grapes and persimmons that come with the autumn months and that I don’t have to do without whole fruit cocktails just because the days are shorter.

This year, it was my friend Karen from Seattle who snapped me out of my funk with a Facebook question about how to make a cocktail with fresh persimmon.  Of course, not everyone is into persimmons.  The persimmon is kind of like that slightly awkward fellow you see in the comic book store, who’s quiet and a bit odd, but once you get to know him you find him surprisingly engaging.  (any resemblance to the author is purely… well, never mind).  But, persimmons have a great deal of sugar to bring to a cocktail and ripe ones also have a subtle, yet complex flavor that is a lot of fun in a drink.  Even those who don’t normally care for the fruit usually come away with an appreciation of persimmons as a cocktail ingredient once they try it.  Persimmons are also a good match for the Holiday Season and make a great addition to a Thanksgiving cocktail repertoire.  You don’t have to take a vacation from whole fruit just because summer is gone.

                                          Sparkling Persimmon

                                                 Ingredents

* 1 ½ oz. Vodka  * ½ oz. Maple Syrup  * ¼ of a soft, ripe Persimmon  *4 -6 oz. Sparkling Apple Cider  * 1 dash Cinnamon

Skin and finely dice about a quarter of a soft, ripe persimmon and crush the pieces with the side of the knife blade to break them up a bit.  Drop the mashed pieces into a shaker about half-full of ice.  Add the vodka and maple syrup and shake vigorously to allow the ice to further macerate the persimmon.  Pour into a 6-8 oz. glass with ice.  Some of the persimmon pieces may clog up the strainer, so you may have to crack open the shaker a bit and pour from the side.  You’ll end up with little pieces of persimmon floating in the liquid, but that’s a good thing because they’ll give a nice deep persimmon flavor.  Add the sparkling apple cider and a dash of cinnamon.  Garnish with a persimmon slice.

If you’re looking for some more fun cocktail-related videos, check out the 30-Second Bartender channel on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/30secondbartender.  And, don’t forget to give me a “like” on Facebook.  More recipes are available at www.30-SecondBartender.com!