Contribution By Claire Schwartz

CS: One of the things I love most about our property is our persimmon tree. It provides amazing shade throughout the warmer months, and delicious fruit once the weather cools down.

I never really ate persimmons or cooked with them prior to moving to Altadena, but now every autumn our kitchen is a factory of persimmon jam, persimmon gelato, persimmon baked goods, & once a truly revolting persimmon batch cocktail (a drink so monumentally bad my friends still talk about it to this day).

Our home survived the fire, but not without significant damage, and many of the plants in our yard caught fire. Our persimmon tree still stands, and I can’t wait to enjoy all these delicious treats in a couple years, when it’s safe to eat from our fruit trees again.

This is the recipe I use for persimmon bread, one of my favorite things to do with our persimmons (I bring it to every holiday party we go to)!

Claire Schwartz is a 30-year-old Los Angeles native who moved to Altadena two years ago. When she is not displaced by the fire, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and walking around the neighborhood. She started Eaton Fire Found Photos, a project that’s trying to reunite photos found in the ashes of the Eaton Fire with the families they belong to.

CS: Food is community. We bring cookies to neighbors, meet friends at neighborhood restaurants, gather our loved ones in the kitchen, remember ancestors through their recipes… foods binds us together. However our community heals, I know food will be a big part of it.

David Lebovitz’s Persimmon Bread Recipe

Note: This contribution was sent to Altadena Cooks through google form, and responses have been edited lightly for clarity. See an issue? Please email me at altadenacooks@gmail.com