I grew up on the slopes of Haleakala Crater on the island of Maui, a word that conjures notions of palm trees and warm tropical breezes. But my home was surrounded by ranch land and vineyards, and hills that looked far more like the Irish countryside than the tropics. Maui contains hundreds of microclimates—it even snows on the Crater in the winter.
So it will come as no surprise, then, that my hometown also boasts one of the loveliest persimmon farms I’ve ever come across. Though leaves didn’t turn on Maui, persimmons and pomegranates were harvested and feasted upon. I love the earthy, dense sweetness of persimmon—particularly when countered by the tang of a cheese like chèvre.
These bites use fuyu persimmons, the kind you can eat like an apple. They’re an ideal starter for a fall dinner or cocktail party. You can make them in about 2 minutes, flat. If you don’t have pomegranate molasses, a) I highly recommend you acquire some at the grocery store (it’s probably with the Middle Eastern foods, or the vinegars), and b) you could use balsamic glaze or vinegar, but it won’t be quite the same.
Ingredients
- 2 fuyu persimmons
- chèvre for schmearing
- pomegranate molasses for drizzling
- flaky sea salt like Maldon
- fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Rev up the engines for the persimmon schmearing assembly line! Slice the persimmons about ¼" thick, and spread chèvre on each. Drizzle lightly with pomegranate molasses and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt and a few cracks of fresh ground pepper.
