Despite the fact that it's Winter, don't limit your fruit intake to oranges, bananas, and apples. Next time you're at the market, pick up a few persimmons. The sweet, mild-flavored fruits, which originate from Asia, are in season between November and February.
Persimmons are bountiful in Asia, and are popular yard fruit trees in the United States, but if you've never enjoyed a persimmon before, know that there are two distinctly different kinds: fuyu persimmons and hachiyas. While they're both persimmons, fuyus and hachiyas have striking differences. Learn more about them when you read more.
Orange-red, acorn-shaped hachiya persimmons are very astringent when unripe, which means that if you eat them before their prime, you'll experience a bitter, tannic, chalky taste. When ready to eat, the variety will be soft and squishy to the touch with a jelly-like texture.
In contrast, tomato-shaped, light orange-hued fuyus are ripe when they are firm, yet give slightly to the touch, much like a peach. While the two kinds of persimmons are distinct, they're both aromatic and sweet. Here are some ideas for enjoying both of them:
- Freeze soft hachiyas and eat them instead of ice cream.
- Slice fuyus either cross-sectionally, like apples; or, for a pretty presentation, slice them laterally to show off their seeds' natural asterisk pattern.
- Purée extremely ripe persimmons and mix into nutty batter for an enticing bread.
- Use ripe hachiyas to make persimmon pudding.
- Slice fuyus into a salad for added crunch, color, and flavor.
Have you been afraid to try persimmons until now? If you're already a fan, tell me how you like to enjoy them below.
Haburi
Naf Naf
Panache
My dad really liked these. I always found them too sugary for some reason.
1this is too funny - today i was just talking about how it would be funny if jennifer garner named her daughter persimmon to go along with the trends, and here you are posting about them
i think that i have to try one though - i've never had one although i know a bit
about their flavor and how they compliment different foods.
2I had my first taste last year, and I'm hooked. They are delightful fresh and baked into cookies, muffins, etc.
3One very important thing about persimmons-
Make sure that they are ripe before you eat them. Unripened persimmon is an astrigent. Eating it is like licking anti-perspirant (and, yes, I know this because I've licked a stick of anti-perspirant).
Otherwise, they are the best!
4astringent
5ah i love these, all of them any of them sooo goood. i want some now. yum yum sooo good. oh they are very very good. yuuum. i like when they are bitter and then it feels like your whole tongue is all dry and weird, well i dont like that anymore but i remember i use to eat them like that when i was little. lol when they are sweet they are so delicious.
6Ahh I hate persimmons! Everyone I know loves them. The first time I tried it, I thought it was like a tomato that tasted like a carrot.
7I've never tried them because I had no idea how to eat them, but now I'll def pick up some on my next trip to the supermarket. Great post Yum, thanks!
8Hmmmm it sounds like if you don't eat them at the perfect time you are in for a not so great taste...too risky for me...
9Wow, I've actually never tried them before. I may have to go buy some just to see if I like them. They sound like they'd taste really good though.
10I love them, esp. fuyu!
11someone told me they taste like semen.
12I made persimmon pudding AND persimmon panna cotta for Xmas! The panna cotta was DIVINE!!!
13I love persimmon cookies! I haven't made any this year but I should definitely try.
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