Happy New Year! (and a Sticky Persimmon Pudding)

And so, for your reading enjoyment, I will now supply you with a list -- a New Year's Resolutions kind of list. 

1.  Read David Copperfield
2.  Sew one thing a month, including that damn dress and new drapes for the study
3.  Make Coq au Vin (very well), trying Julia Child's recipe, Anthony Bourdain's recipe, Ginette Mathiot's, Joy of Cooking (if there is one is that book), and maybe Larrouse Gastronomique's, as well
4.  Read another country (either China or India) in the way that I read Africa last year 
5.  While I'm at it, read another book or two on Africa
6.  Man-up and go to confession, all proper-like -- no more sit-down sessions with a priest, unless I've got a serious doozy
7.  Take Emilia to the Space Needle
8.  Go somewhere -- Maine, Napa, London, Sevilla, Roma, Jackson, MS, or wherever, as I'm not really all that particular at this point
9.  Go for a visit (i.e. a roadtrip) to Utah, with a brief visit in Salmon, Idaho
10.  Less time on the computer screwing around and doing nothing
11.  Start mulling over the idea of researching and writing another paper/article
12.  Try a Side-Car and an Old-Fashioned
13.  Sing in church (for some reason I turn into a mute whenever there is singing in church)

 Sorted. 

And now, while you settle on your own resolutions, I'll supply you with a recipe for a Sticky Persimmon Pudding.  Ideally, you'll be sitting down with a big slice of this, a fat dollop of whipped cream, a steaming mug-ful of chamomile tea, a big clean sheet of paper, and a nice black pen for writing.  It's the best way to channel brain power, I've found. 

A quick note on the recipe -- I spent a great deal of time mopping boiling water off the top of my pudding as it was steaming away in the pan.  It was only after it had been in there for over an hour and a half that it occurred to me that a nice piece of foil on the top would have done wonders.  I tell you, sometimes I'm not dealing with a full-deck.  Ah well, next time.  On the bright side, I've finally used my soufflé dish.  You know, the one I bought after taking a French cooking class at Sur La Table a hundred years ago -- vowing I'd make a different soufflé every day of the week?  Yes, that one.  Hmmm, alright, I suppose that is now officially #14 on my list of resolutions.  Make a soufflé.

Steamed Persimmon Pudding
serves 6-8

3 cups flour
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons pickled ginger, although I just used fresh
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon mace (I don't have this and don't really know what it is, so I used cloves instead)
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon Drambuie
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Using your heavy duty mixer, combine the flour and the butter.  Add sugar, eggs, and maple syrup, and beat until mixed. 

Cut the persimmons in half and scoop out the flesh.  Add them to a separate bowl, along with the ginger, and then take your hand-held blender to them.  Alternatively, you could just toss them in the food processor or blender or whatever you've got.  I opted for the hand-held as it is less clean-up.

Add the persimmon puree to the batter and mix until thoroughly combined.  Fold in the cranberries, raisins, spices, Drambuie, and vanilla.  Pour the batter into a buttered 1-quart mold, and steam over boiling water for 2 hours.  When it is ready a toothpick will come out clean.  Cool for two hours before unmolding.  Serve with sweetened whip cream.  (Recipe from: Christina's Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from a Northwest Island Kitchen by Christina Orchid.  Sasquatch Books, 2004.)