Friday, October 24, 2014

What do you know about persimmons?

The 2014 calendar for Fine Cooking intrigued me to learn more about persimmons.

Sharing from Fine Cooking calendar....They may look like tomatoes, but persimmons are sweet and versatile in their own way. They can have custard-like fruit with banana and mango flavors, or be firmer with apricot notes. Try them in anything from puddings and cookies to salads and salsas.

Not far from my house several persimmon trees caught my eye.
I stopped and talked to the owners and asked if I could make pictures of their trees.

They were gracious and shared persimmons with me. I wish I had made notes and could remember all they said about the variety, how old their trees were, etc.

From Fine Cooking:

Persimmons are part of the genus Diospyros, which means “fruit of the gods” in Greek, persimmons are tree fruits grown in many countries, including China, Italy, the United States, and Japan (where they are considered the national fruit). They are in season from fall through winter and are an excellent source of fiber as well as vitamins A and C.
Persimmon varieties are divided into two categories, astringent and nonastringent. Astringent varieties, such as the acorn shaped Hachiya, are tannic and sour when underripe; they should be eaten when very ripe and jelly-soft. Fuyu is the most common nonastringent variety; shaped like pincushions, they are smaller than Hachiyas and have fewer tannins, so they can be eaten both underripe and soft. The Fuyu has a subtle, crisp flavor reminiscent of apricots, while the Hachiya has tropical fruit notes and is very rich and sweet.

how to choose:

Look for fruit that is plump, heavy for its size, and vibrantly colored, with glossy skin. Avoid those with bruises, blemishes, or cracks.

how to prep:

Remove the core for both eating and cooking. The skin is edible, though you may want to peel it, because it can be a little waxy. Cut the fruit into wedges, slices, or cubes. Ripe Hachiyas are often the persimmon of choice for sweet dishes. The firmer texture and subtly sweet flavor of Fuyus make them a good variety for savory preparations.

how to store:

Keep the unripe fruit at room temperature, preferably in a brown paper bag, to help it ripen. If persimmons are already ripe and soft when you buy them, eat them right away or store in the refrigerator for no more than two days.
Source: Fine Cooking.com
Persimmon pudding sounds interesting. 
These pics were made several years ago but when I read my Fine Cooking calendar I decided to blog about persimmons. I must confess I didn't taste them because we were going out of town. I gave them away because I didn't want them to spoil. Now, I am intrigued how they taste and wish I might have another opportunity to broaden my horizons trying this fruit.
Do you have any recipes or experiences with persimmons? It is amazing how my calendar has intrigued me about persimmons.

For recipes, visit FineCooking.com


Another use for persimmons is decorative.
This was my fall blog header a few years back. The arrangement was made by a member of my garden club using persimmons. Persimmons make me think autumn. This variety has been imported from Japan. The indigenous persimmon tree fruit in our area is much smaller. I have a male tree and the leaves display a beautiful fall foliage.


Linking to Foodie Friday.

8 comments:

  1. Hi, Bonnie! I have never tried a persimmon. The name has always kind of thrown me off. I have this weird thing about not eating foods with weird names. (e.g., eggplant, hog head cheese) I think they look fabulous, but I'm just leery of what they'll taste like. I'm a big ol' chicken! A WEIRD chicken at that! :-)

    That was really nice of the people to share the persimmons with you. Neighborliness is alive and well in America!

    Have a fantastic weekend!!!

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  2. Hey Bonnie,

    We have 2 persimmon trees in our yard but I have never eaten any of them. Our dogs love them..they will even jump up to get them if the branches are low enough for them to reach. I have always thought it was a nice shape and size tree and has beautiful foliage. First time I went searching for a tree in the wild it was for using in a fall arrangement for my son's wedding reception supper..

    I will pin your info here in case I ever get brave enough to try one. Ours are really small, not like your neighbors..

    Love, Mona

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  3. I will tell you that if you eat them before they are fully ripe, they will TURN YOUR MOUTH INSIDE OUT! I've never had anything more sour in my life! My children always dare each other to take a bite of an unripe persimmon! Once they are sweeter, we chop them up for salads.
    I prefer them for decorations myself!

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  4. I don't know a thing about Persimmons and I don't think they will grow here where I live. I thorougly enjoyed your post, Bonnie :) Thanks for sharing and have a lovely weekend! Hugs

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  5. We had a persimmon tree on the back of our farm when I was growing up... What I remember is that they only tasted good after the first frost. Before that they would pucker your mouth! =) We never used them in a recipe... but, now I'm curious. Have a great day, Bonnie. blessings ~ tanna

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  6. I have never had persimmons either. They really do look like tomatoes!

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  7. I have never eaten one, but love to use them in decor and arrangements, their colors are fabulous and I love their funky little shapes! Thanks for the good info!
    Jenna

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  8. i enjoyed your little tutorial, its a shame you didn't eat them! there are 2 kinds, one you do not eat soft, such as the ones in your pics, those are like apples, treat them like apples too and use them almost identically, except they are sweeter, more mellow. you don't want them soft, you want them orange, just like your pics, they were pefect for eating right out of your hand :-)

    i have scads of recipes, you can look on my pinterest board, i grow persimmons and pomegranates so have a board just for them, they ripen at the same time, i am always scurrying around for new recipes along with the tried and true.

    hachiya are frightening unless a soft pulpy mess, they MUST be soft soft soft or you will shivel up with fright with one taste :-( i am from an english family, this is whats used for persimmon puddings with a hard sauce. i am sure the hard sauce was invented for those that weren't quite ripe, you had to drink away the bitters!

    go to your sams or coscto, they are still carying the fuyus at our markets. my entire tree was stripped by blue jays, but they are still available for a bit longer. thanks for stopping by, jain~

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