Persimmon Festival
The 65th annual Persimmon Festival takes place September 17 through 24, 2011, in Mitchell, Indiana. No, Road Trips Foodies, this isn’t a celebration of the Japanese hybrid import, but of the native persimmon (which grows quite well in Lawrence County).
The week-long fest has all the expected components: arts & crafts, carnival rides, food vendors and a parade (held on the last day). Theme this year is “Serve and Protect,” and the grand marshals of the parade will be two firefighters – Larry Caudell and Jimmie Zeeks.
But, of course, we turn up in this southern Indiana town for the persimmons. Not to be missed is the cooking competition. The two divisions are persimmon pudding and persimmon novelty dessert. Persimmon pudding starts with persimmon pulp, but the rest of the ingredients are variable according to the cook. It resembles pumpkin pie filling and is often topped with whipped cream.
If you want to buy some to take home, stop in nearby Bedford at Applacres (9104 State Road 37) or Seeds & Such (1105 R Street) to purchase persimmon pulp. Need inspiration? Here’s a recipe online.
