By Late September. The equinox week. The first persimmons dropped. The same ritual. Two on the ground Tuesday morning. One eaten under the tree. One in a bowl on the kitchen counter for Hannah to see when she came home. The first persimmon pudding will be in two weeks.
Cohort week four. The new students are practicing flat stock. The bicycle student from last fall came by — he wanted to show me his progress on a new project, a custom touring bike he's been building. The frame was beautiful. He had used what I taught him. I told him so. He said: I'm thinking about coming back for the intermediate. I said: come.
Tuesday I drove to Turley to see Terry. The visit was short — about an hour. She was tired. She was in her chair. She did not get up when I came in. She told me she had been seeing the doctor more often. The doctor was concerned about her heart. I said: tell me. She said: nothing to tell. They're watching it. I said: are you okay. She said: yes. She said: don't worry. I am worried. I called Lily after I left. Lily said: yes. The doctor's told us. Mild heart failure. Manageable for now. They are adjusting medications. I drove home with the news.
Hannah was at the kitchen table when I got in. I told her. She did not cry. She held my hand across the table. She said: how long. I said: I don't know. They're managing it. She said: she'll come live with us. I said: yes. She said: when. I said: when she has to. She said: I'll have the room ready before she has to. I said: I love you. She said: I love you. Terry has heart failure now. The world goes on. The world goes on changed.
The persimmons are coming in and Terry’s heart is being watched, and I didn’t want to make something that required too much of me — but I wanted to make something. Pumpkin seed toffee felt like the right answer: fall, a little golden, something you could set out on the counter next to the persimmon in the bowl and not have to explain. Hannah and I didn’t say much that evening, but we made this together, and that was enough.
Pumpkin Seed Toffee
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 16
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), divided
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the pan. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Scatter 1/4 cup of the pumpkin seeds evenly across the surface and set aside.
- Cook the toffee. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, sugar, water, and salt. Stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring. Clip a candy thermometer to the pan and cook, swirling occasionally, until the mixture reaches 300—305°F (hard crack stage) and turns a deep amber color, about 15—18 minutes.
- Add vanilla and seeds. Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla extract and the remaining 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds. The mixture will bubble briefly — stir quickly but gently.
- Pour and spread. Immediately pour the toffee over the pumpkin seeds on the prepared pan. Using a heat-safe spatula, spread it quickly into an even layer about 1/4 inch thick.
- Add chocolate (optional). Scatter chocolate chips over the hot toffee. Let sit 2 minutes to soften, then spread into a thin layer with the spatula.
- Cool and break. Let the toffee cool completely at room temperature, at least 45 minutes, until fully hardened. Break into irregular pieces by hand or with the back of a spoon.
- Store. Keep in an airtight container at room temperature, separated by parchment, for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 185 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 16g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 75mg