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GOODNESS
Cinnamon: Cinnamon comes from the bark of a tropical evergreen, just like its cousin cassia. It has an ancient pedigree, even being used to embalm a few pharaohs. That may not sound appetizing, but it has been found to be good for the heart, the stomach and the joints. Not impressed yet? Well consider that it also seems to mimic insulin and therefore helps diabetics moderate their sugar levels. So don't be shy with this tasty and healthy spice.
Cloves: The dried buds of a tropical evergreen, cloves are a wonderful blast of fragrance and flavor. They were the first known breath fresheners, but have a long, rich history in the spice trades. These sweet but pungent buds can overwhelm a recipe, so beware!
Nutmeg: What would egg-nog be without nutmeg? But this sweetly aromatic spice is good for much more. As well as flavoring cakes and fruity desserts, it works wonderfully with strong vegetables like cabbage and cauliflower.
Nutmeg quickly loses it's flavor when ground, so get whole kernels and grind them just before using them. The taste is a sweet blend of woody pine and cloves.
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Recipe

Lemon-Glazed Persimmon Bars

serves
prep time: 10
cook time: 20

ingredients

  • bars
  • 3 very ripe (very soft) Hachiya persimmons (1 1/4 pounds total)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup loosely packed dried pitted dates (2/3 cup), finely chopped
  • 1 cup walnuts or pecans (1/2 cup), finely chopped
  • glaze
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 dash finely grated fresh lemon zest

directions

Make bars:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 15- by 10 inch shallow baking pan (1 inch deep), knocking out excess flour.

Discard dried green or brown calyx (stem and leaves) from each persimmon, then force persimmons 1 at a time through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, using a rubber spatula to press hard on solids (discard solids). Transfer 1 cup puré,e to a small bowl (discard remainder) and stir in lemon juice and baking soda. (Mixture will become foamy, then jell slightly.)

Sift together flour, salt, and spices in another small bowl.

Whisk together egg, sugar, oil, and dates in a large bowl until just combined. Add flour mixture and persimmon mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and stirring until just combined. Stir in nuts.

Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack.

Glaze and cut bars:

Stir together all glaze ingredients until smooth, then spread over top of cooled cake. Cut crosswise into 8 strips, then lengthwise into fourths, for a total of 32 bars.

Cooks' note:

Bars keep in an airtight container 3 days.