Picking Persimmons at Birdsong + Spiced Fuyu Preserves
When I saw a persimmon U-pick advertised at a local farm, I hoped that my Saturday event might get canceled and I would be able to go. Since we didn't reach the minimum number of tickets needed to host the event, my Spooky Paella party was canceled and I was able to head up to Birdsong Orchard with my boys. Sweet!
Birdsong Orchards
I had been to Birdsong Orchards before to pick roses with Pia. It's a beautiful property that's not too far from us.
The new owner walked us up to the orchard and told us they had owned it for a year. It's an 8-acre property with over 800 trees. They also own Cabrillo Cottage Farms a little further up the road in Aptos.
Admittedly the owners probably didn't anticipate me coming for a full harvest. My boys joked that they probably expected people to come frolic in the trees to take some photos of social media and, maybe, pick two or three fruits. Hmmm...we picked ten pounds. And, honestly, I would have picked more if the trees had more available. Still I ended up enough to play with. First up...
Spiced Fuyu Preserves
I have been making jams and preserves for years, but I do not think I have ever made fuyu preserves. I did some reading and came up with this recipe. It's a little sweeter than I would usually make. If I do get my hands on another glut of persimmons, I will adjust the sweetness accordingly.
Ingredients
16 fuyu persimmons, approximately 4 pounds
3 cups organic granulated sugar (I will reduce this to 2 cups next time and had already reduced it from other recipes)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
one 2-inch knob fresh ginger, halved
1 vanilla bean
8 to 10 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
Also needed: mason jars with lids and bands
Procedure
Clean the persimmons, cut off the stems, and slice them into large cubes. Some recipes peeled the persimmons, others didn't. I opted to leave the skins on. Place the persimmons into a large pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes or until fork tender.
Place all of the remaining ingredients into a pot. Add in the persimmons. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until the fruit has almost completely lost its shape and the syrup is thickened.
Spoon the preserves into clean mason jars, leaving about a 1/2" gap to the top. Gently tap the bottom of each jar on the counter to release any air bubbles. Using a damp clean towel, wipe the rims of the jars and secure the lids and rings.
Process in a water bath for 10-15 minutes. Remove the containers with tongs and let cool on the counter.
You’ll hear the sound of can tops popping shortly—a sign that a secure seal has been made. Pop, pop, pop. Or, you can refrigerate the jar without processing and use it within three weeks. Enjoy!
If you are interested in more recipes using our haul from Birdsong Orchards, stay tuned.
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