Mix up your persimmon portfolio with recipes from Peninsula chefs
I grew up in a house that had a very fruitful Fuyu persimmon tree in the backyard. Every October, we’d have quite the excess of persimmons (unless the squirrels got to them first, which they often did). And while persimmons are considered a specialty fruit on a national level, they’re a hallmark of the Bay Area’s fall food scene.
If you find yourself swimming in a bountiful persimmon harvest this year, we have you covered. I’ve compiled four persimmon-forward recipes from Peninsula chefs, from pickled persimmons to a caramelized persimmon upside-down cake.
Stay tasty,
Adrienne
Peninsula chefs share recipes to make the most of persimmon season
Persimmons are essentially a form of currency in Silicon Valley. Beginning in October, the vibrant orange fruit becomes a talking point on Nextdoor and a bartering tool to procure Facebook Marketplace finds. If you’re lucky enough to have a persimmon tree, you’ll often find yourself with too many persimmons to eat and may even tire of snacking on the fruit.
A new Kyrgyz food truck, a restaurant chain’s bankruptcy and the reopening of a longtime vegan restaurant
- Silq Road, a new Mountain View food truck, specializes in halal Kyrgyz food.
- True Food Kitchen, a health-conscious restaurant chain, has filed for bankruptcy, but the Palo Alto restaurant remains open.
- The Food Closet, a Palo Alto-based food pantry, has seen a 10% increase in clients since last year.
- The UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County share gardening tips for October crops.
- Bonbon Matcha, a matcha cafe that debuted in Cupertino in June, is soft opening its new Palo Alto location Oct. 20.
- Malatang chain Mala Town is hosting the grand opening of its Mountain View location Friday.
- Il Fornaio is paying $3 million to settle a federal lawsuit alleging the restaurant chain created a sexually hostile work environment.
- Avocado Toast, a family-owned cafe in San Mateo since 2017, recently expanded to Belmont.
- Que SeRaw SeRaw – an organic, raw, vegan and gluten-free restaurant – has reopened on Broadway in Burlingame.
- Hummus Mediterranean Kitchen is coming to the former World Wrapps space at The Pruneyard in Campbell, according to the Silicon Valley Business Journal.
- Top of the Hill Festival, a free community street festival in Daly City, is Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.
- Sigona’s in Redwood City is hosting a Fall Food Festival Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with free samples, more than 20 local food vendors, live music and wine and cheese tastings.
- The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival returns Saturday and Sunday with a parade, pie-eating contests and pumpkin carving.
- Oak + Violet in Menlo Park has a new executive chef with Michelin cred.
- Chino Yang’s Chinese Cuisine recently relocated from San Francisco to Millbrae.
- Rocky’s Matcha is hosting a pop-up at Goodthing Coffee in Palo Alto Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Sana’a Cafe in Redwood City is celebrating its one-year anniversary Saturday at 3 p.m. with gift cards and PS5 giveaway.
- INDULGE Restaurant Week Los Gatos is now through Sunday, with Los Gatos restaurants offering special tasting offers and pricing, prix-fixe menus and seasonal items.
Borani banjan at Moods. Wine Bar
Moods. Wine Bar offers a lot more than just wine – it has live music and a food menu with vegan, vegetarian and nonvegetarian options at an affordable price. First established on Cal Ave in 2017, Moods. relocated to Sunnyvale last year.
I recently stopped by for its homey Afghan cuisine, cooked in small batches by co-owner KC Saljooqi, who runs the restaurant with her husband Mahmood Saljooqi. The interior is charming, with wine barrel tables, and outdoor seating is decorated with fairy lights.
On a recent Thursday evening, the restaurant was nearly empty, and KC Saljooqi took my order, warning that she accidentally made the borani banjan extra spicy this time. Since I love spice, this was excellent news to me.
The borani banjan ($18), a complex spiced stew of eggplant, tomato, onion and ground beef, was deeply comforting, hearty and filling, but not heavy. The side of seasoned yogurt helped cool down the heat, and the dahl was earthy, nutty and warmly spiced. It was a wonderfully satisfying plate that felt fresh and didn’t leave me sluggish.
Moods. Wine Bar, 111 W. Evelyn Ave., Sunnyvale; 650-773-1780, Instagram: @moods_wine_bar. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 4-10 p.m. and Sunday from 4-9 p.m.
Gardenia opens in historic Los Gatos mansion, offering French Asian fusion cuisine and specialty coffee
Featuring grilled tako “escargot” and specialty cocktails, Gardenia has unique brunch dishes, happy hour and a dinner menu
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