Pumpkins and Persimmons....What, You Don't Know About Persimmons?!

Persimmons are not a squash like pumpkins, but are a fruit. The fruit originated in China and was luckily brought to the United States in the 1880's. Now persimmons grown in California and are even available to us here in Utah! Here is a great photo of a Fuyu persimmon:

Week six at the restaurant brought the switch of students from front of the house to the back of the house. This week we are focusing on pumpkin in each of the courses. The first course is one of my favorites, Mediterranean onion soup. Instead of a heavy French onion soup, I like to add roasted tomatoes and chicken stock to lighten up the the traditional beef broth. We also added roasted pumpkin and paired the soup with caramelized onions and pumpkin focaccia as well. We still poured the soup table-side which has become a signature style at the restaurant. Here is a look:

For the second course we created mini-quiches with a creamy custard and a filo crust.

The third course started with pumpkin brioche and finished with Vietnamese pork, pickled vegetables, slaw and sweet potato fries with sweet and sour Siracha glaze.

Dessert was another sampler plate with lots of textures, temperatures and flavors. 

We made a frozen pumpkin mousse, persimmon cider, cocoa nib-nut glass, vanilla panna cotta and tuile!