In Season: Persimmons

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Persimmons inspire one Nashville chef to go both sweet and savory

During the fall, persimmons make their way onto menus across the South, boasting their bright-orange skin and umami-esque flavor characteristics. Chef Hadley Long of Nashville’s Margot Cafe & Bar says, “Imagine making a luscious persimmon mostarda to pair with a beautifully strong and distinctive local cheese, like the Asher Bleu from Sweet Grass Dairy. Its complex earthiness would be complemented by the tannic sweet and sour notes that are found in persimmons.” Long recommends sourcing persimmons through local farms—you can find him perusing the Nashville Farmers Market in search of the best.

Autumn Spice

“A persimmon mostarda allows us to introduce pie spices like allspice, cinnamon, and clove, which don’t mask the beautiful flavor of the persimmon but lift and eventuate its natural essence,” Long says.

Crunchy Salads

Long recommends “a delicious persimmon salad—tart and sweet roasted persimmons, radicchio and Belgian endive studded with warm spiced walnuts, crumbled goat cheese, and a crunchy crystallized ginger-sherry vinaigrette.”

Sweet and Savory

Long likes to utilize persimmons in savory applications. He suggests “a savory persimmon clafoutis [a mixture between a Southern cobbler and a dutch baby pancake] and adding luscious and tangy labneh, a smoky maple syrup, Benton’s Bacon reduction, and a delicious frisée and pomegranate salad on top.”