What matters is that we are all cooking and enjoying time together at the table.
List or no, one thing I never forget is to make my grandmother’s crescent rolls, which have anchored every Thanksgiving I’ve known. They require a light hand and a lot of space, for once they’re shaped, they rise for hours; I set them on every available surface in the entryway and beyond and there they lie in wait, like a standing army.
Legends
The rolls have taken on legendary status because they’re a novelty to the French, who rarely bake yeast breads at home and even if they did, don’t have such a recipe in such a shape. Brioche is a relative, as is the torpedo shaped ‘pain au lait’ but neither would ever show up at dinner.
Persimmon Bread
And now I have a new legend to share, for persimmon bread. It’s another from my grandmother’s collection that I’d by-passed in the card file I have. I was only inspired to make it recently, when persimmons came back into season a couple of weeks ago and I found myself with a trio of ripe fruits ready to burst. It is more than delicious, easy to make, and a perfect addition to either Thanksgiving breakfast or dinner.
A Tribute
I’m so glad I kept her recipes. Making her food is a tribute, and a gift to myself because the whole time I’m making them I’m remembering her with laughter – her sense of humor was unparalleled. Her recipes also produce gifts for all who taste them, a message from her through the decades of her life and beyond.
Family recipes and their tastes give us memories and a sense of belonging, as much as they satisfy our appetites. I don’t know about you all, but I treasure that sense that decades ago, a beautiful woman was mixing up the batter for the persimmon bread, and making, rolling, and baking the same rolls I always serve on Thanksgiving day.
I wish you all a wonderful week, a wonderful day, wonderful moments. You will find two recipes below, for the rolls, and the persimmon bread (which is really more of a cake).
