Thanksgiving
November 23, 2022
Hellooooooo! It's been awhile, and now the Thanksgiving holiday is truly upon us! Are you ready? For the first time in a very very long time, we won't be hosting the holiday feast at our house, but spending it with dear friends. Of course I will still make persimmon pudding, and don't worry, I'll add the recipe again below, so you won't have to hunt for it. It always feels like the star of the holiday, so I will encourage you to try it if you've somehow resisted. The star of the season for me is always the pinker than pink sunsets that assist in minimizing the impact of these shorter days. I always try to catch a glimpse of the spectacular show in the sky. This is one from the other evening in our neighborhood. I hope that whatever the weekend holds, you have a truly wonderful time.
As for weekend plans, if you find yourself in the mood to shop either online or in person, we are here. Online we have a new section, as our Lingerie collection has evolved over time to become LFrank Wardrobe. The lingerie pieces have long been worn as pieces to be out and about in by our growing community of devotees. This has led to the creation of new silhouettes that over time have become the foundation of a modern feminine wardrobe. Have a look here, and then swing by if you're close to try the pieces on in person. We are celebrating the holiday weekend with a 20% discount on any online or in-store purchases from the Wardrobe collection, limited to stock on hand beginning today, November 23rd through Wednesday November 30th 2022. Discount will apply automatically in cart for any online purchases. With the holiday season in full swing, it might be the perfect time to treat yourself to something lovely.
I think a little flirtatious energy has long been missing from our daily lives. On this front, we've added a punchy color blocked silk crepe de chine vest to the Wardrobe collection, which is what the Lingerie collection has evolved to become. We've also made the Carlotta vest in a cotton black lace, which is an easy layering piece. The double ruffle is one of the reasons I love it so much, but not the only one. These vests are such an easy way to energize whatever you have on, and they look lovely belted or loose, as a top in their own right, or layered over just about anything.
Those skirt suits we've been working on? Well, they're here...at long last, in Liberty print cotton, silk, and even in a few varieties of lace. Come in and give one a try. They are lovely apart, and perfect together. The skirts look great with a sweater, and the jackets look great with really anything. I'm really into suits these days, so I love them together, but they certainly don't have to be worn that way.
I hope you have a gorgeous holiday ahead of you with plenty of time to rest and restore, whether you are hosting, cooking, or simply showing up with epic good cheer. We all have so much to be grateful for. I am filled with so much gratitude for my family, the fact that I create beauty for a living with like-minded and enormously talented individuals, and for the wonderful community I find myself within. It's not just the big things, but the small things as well.
One small thing is that the persimmons this season have been especially good, but the Hachiya variety seem to be in short supply this year. Our daughter is actually making Hoshigaki with a few of them, which is quite a meditative process. They're quite labor intensive, (daily massage!) but completely worth the effort involved. You can sometimes buy them at the farmer's market, and it is kind of incredible to realize that so much care has been taken to bring such a delicious treat to market.
P.S. A little trick: If you have trouble finding perfectly ripe persimmons, you can pop the unripened fruit into the freezer, then defrost in a bowl of warm water before you make the recipe.
Persimmon Pudding
Serves 8
Ingredients:
3 ripe Hachiya persimmons
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to warm
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups of half and half (or 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of heavy cream)
Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan. Remove the stems from the persimmons and cut the flesh into pieces. Purée the persimmon flesh in a food processor until smooth. Strain the purée through a medium-mesh sieve to eliminate any bits of skin and seed. You should have 2 cups purée. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until blended. Whisk in the melted butter.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and salt onto a piece of parchment paper or into a bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Slowly pour in the half + half or milk and cream, stirring until combined. Stir in the persimmon purée last. The batter will be quite thick. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving. The pudding will sink as it cools. Serve the pudding warm, scooped into bowls with slightly sweetened whipped cream. I use maple syrup in the cream for a more complex flavor. It can be reheated it in a 325°F oven for about 15 minutes if you make this ahead.
Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving with lots of love from all of us,