Richard Simmon's Shorts Look Like Women's

Persimmons are fruit that I have often enjoyed but never purchased. This gem must be often planted and little loved to have friends and neighbors replenish my supply year after year. (It seems to be a family affliction, Mom I learned it by watching you!) Though I never actively seek them out I am always quite pleased when persimmons make their way into my kitchen. One by one I allow them to ripen and tuck them into the freezer until the delightful day I have been given an ample enough supply to make cookies. The recipe was my mother's but at a young age I must have claimed it as my own. Perhaps it was seeing the childish strokes that once qualified as my handwriting but as I measured and stirred last night I began to bend the rules. I did NOT bother to level off the flour. Rather than allowing them to come to room temperature, my eggs went straight from the fridge into the bowl. And you know what? The cookies were delicious. I thought that those sunny childhood memories were distorting my senses, until I handed one to my hubby. A cookie hater by nature I assumed that he would take one bite and then hand me the remainder. He-ate-the-entire-thing! Delightfully soft and fragrant with lovely crunch and chew from fresh walnuts and raisins these cookies may make a persimmon lover out of you. (Hopefully not too many of you, I'd like to keep my free supplies coming!)

Persimmon Cookies
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup persimmon pulp
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp each, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together. Stir in persimmon pulp, egg, and vanilla. Mix flour and spices together in a separate bowl then mix them in with everything else. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Drop large tablespoons of the dough on a buttered cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. These cookies stay moist and delicious for days in a tightly sealed container.