Seasons/Availability
Domestic Persimmons are available late September through December peaking in October and November. Locally grown California Hachiya Persimmons are available during the peak season. Persimmons from Chile arrive the last two weeks of March and continue into May.
Current Facts
At one time ninety percent of the persimmons sold in the United States were the Hachiya variety. The Fuyu persimmon now represents almost eighty percent of the persimmon market. Several other obscure persimmon varieties are grown in California and other parts of the world.
Description/Taste
Resembling a heart-shaped tomato with a point, this beautiful fruit is about the size of a peach. Sporting a pale green papery calyx, its shiny skin is bright orange. Unlike the Fuyu persimmon, which can be eaten in its hard, unripe stage, the Hachiya variety must be fully ripe, almost to a "mush" stage to be enjoyed. As the fruit ripens, the skin becomes dull in color and has the texture compared to that of a water balloon. When the astringent tannin evaporates, blamed for its harshness in flavor when unripe, the fruit becomes deliciously sweet.
Nutritional Value
Persimmons are an excellent source of vitamin A, contain a good amount of vitamin C and potassium plus provide a moderate amount of minerals and excellent dietary fiber. Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowers the chances of cancer. A recent study found that nine or ten daily servings of fruits and vegetables with three servings of low-fat dairy products were effective in lowering blood pressure.
Applications
Ripe persimmons can be eaten out of hand and are absolutely delicious made into purees, sherbets, ice creams, jams, stewed fruits, puddings, breads, cakes and other baked goods. One large fruit yields about three-fourths to one cup pureed fruit. Meltingly soft and sweet, enjoy halves with a wedge of lemon or lime. Add to fruit and mixed green salads for a luscious texture and delicious sweetness. Flavor-enhance hot dishes by adding slices of peeled persimmon at the very end of the cooking process. Spoon pureed fruit over puddings and cakes for a sweet offering. Allspice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg love this fruit. To ripen, place fruit in a paper bag; keep at room temperature. Refrigerate ripe fruit; enjoy as soon as possible. To hasten ripening and eliminate the bitter tannin, put fruit in freezer for twenty-four hours. A frozen rock-hard unripe persimmon will be transformed into a ripe juicy fruit when thawed.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In the Orient, this gorgeous fruit is considered to be the ultimate. In America, however, persimmons were slow to catch on. Eventually this fruit's tasty qualities and the extraordinary beauty of these small trees were noticed. America especially took a liking to the sweeter Japanese persimmon when it was imported into the United States by Commander Matthew C. Perry in 1855. The French call the persimmon "kaki", its Japanese name and make a special dessert by scooping out the persimmon and filling it with kirsch. The Chinese like to dry it to make candy, and even let the fruit freeze on the tree. Native Americans took advantage of the natural astringency of the persimmon which is the result of the tannins present in the fruit, and used it for medicinal purposes. The reaction to this persimmon medicine, however, has been described as "harsh and choakie". Wines, brandies and beer have also been made from the persimmon by early settlers but there is no documention of any complaints on these particular products.
Geography/History
Native to China, the largest producer of persimmons is China. Brazil, Japan and Korea also contribute persimmons to the market followed by Italy, Israel and the United States. In the United States, California supplies all of the domestic crop with Fresno and Tulare counties the largest growing regions. Chile has steadily increased persimmon plantings over the years and about seventy five percent of its exported persimmons come to the United States. A rare and nonastringent variety of persimmon is from Israel's Sharon Valley and named the Sharon persimmon. This improved variety has no core, is seedless and contains no tannin. Known by several other names, the persimmon is called Chinese fig, bush kaki, monkey guava, keg-fig, date plum, apple of the Orient and swamp ebony. Due to its being a member of the ebony family, the persimmon has been given this last nickname whose useful wood makes great domestic products from golf clubs to shoe frames.
Featured Recipes
Recipes that include Hachiya Persimmons. One
is easiest, three is harder.
