MITCHELL – Susan Marlman was named the winner of the 2022 Persimmon Pudding Contest, receiving a $500 check and an orange ribbon.
Susan has participated in the annual event for as long as she can remember, joining her mother and sister as winners of the event.
“I did not think I was going to win this year. I have participated in the contest for a long time, and all I can say is I am surprised. My mother won back in the 1980s, and I am glad to say that I was able to join her as a winner of the event,” Marlman said.
Susan’s winning recipe included:
- 2 cups persimmon pulp
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup Milnot
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup of butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla
The persimmon is treasured by Hoosiers along with those devoted to the preservation of native and heirloom plants and regional cuisine nationwide. The small burnt-orange fruit, whose Latin name means “food for the gods,” grows on medium-sized trees that belong to the ebony family. A high tannin content makes persimmons virtually inedible until they are soft enough to drop to the ground, in late autumn.
With Susan taking first place, here are the top four finishers from the Persimmon Pudding contest:
- First Place: Susan Marlman
- Second Place: Victoria Burris
- Third Place: Cindy King
- Honorable Mention: Lee Purlee
Southern Indiana still represents a hub of persimmon activity and advocacy in the U.S. Home to substantial persimmon orchards and a significant distributor of persimmon pulp, the area also boasts a unique harvest ritual – the Persimmon Festival, held every year since 1947 in Mitchell, Indiana.
