I am in persimmon heaven!!

[Fragola]

:D

It sound crazy to me... but I actually have friends with persimmon trees that don't eat the fruits!!
So they call me to get rid of them, and I have now 4 boxes of persimmons (about 30 pounds I think) that I've got for free, plus wild apples, hazelnuts and this old variety of fruit that no one appreciate (I don't know the english name)
http://www.zoomedia.it/Flora/florapicts/nespole.jpg

How great!!
:D :D :D

[jiujitsugirl]

this may sound stupid but i saw persimmions in the market how do you eat them? are they good?

[Fragola]

this may sound stupid but i saw persimmions in the market how do you eat them? are they good?

I really love them, persimmon are very sweet and a bit jelly, I love the consistence and i eat the fruits with chopped or mashed bananas and raisins, super sweet and satisfying.
The fruits must be very ripe though, if they are hard you cannot eat them. A ripe fruit is very very soft at the touch, like a balloon with water inside, and you can eat the skin too.

[Linda1970]

Oh, you are so lucky!!!! I love love persimmons and eat a few a day. They are one of my favorite fruits. Wow, 30 pounds. I'm drooling...

[Veganforlife]

I wonder if you can make fruit leather out of them? Victoria had a recipe for persimmons. I'll have to hunt that one down.
Here's one:

Persimmon Pudding
Courtesy of: D. Solorzano

Take 1-2 ripe persimmons, blend well.
Add sliced bananas.

Can also be used as fruit salad dressing.

[Veganforlife]

Here's another recipe:
http://gliving.tv/greenchefs/vanessa-sherwood/Coconut-Flan/

[Veganforlife]

Here's another website with oodles of recipes:

http://www.astrologyclub.org/PowerFood/PowerFoodFruitAndVegetableDelights.htm

[BGVDiva]

I was served my first persimmon at a sushi restaurant and it was incredible. So I decided to purchase one at the grocery store. The fruit was soft to the touch, not real squishy, just soft. Brought it home, cut it, took a bite...the inside of my mouth felt like I had just eat alum. You know, the stuff that Tweety Bird would get Silvester to eat that would make his mouth pucker up so tight that he couldn't fit Tweety through his lips to eat him. It feels like a chemical reaction in my mouth, very gritty, dry and puckery (if that's a word). Is this normal? Does it mean the fruit is not completely ripe? It looks fine, it "feels" ripe. It can't be just me because my DH had the same complaint. I've purchased two persimmons now and had the same exact reaction.

[Fragola]

I was served my first persimmon at a sushi restaurant and it was incredible. So I decided to purchase one at the grocery store. The fruit was soft to the touch, not real squishy, just soft. Brought it home, cut it, took a bite...the inside of my mouth felt like I had just eat alum. You know, the stuff that Tweety Bird would get Silvester to eat that would make his mouth pucker up so tight that he couldn't fit Tweety through his lips to eat him. It feels like a chemical reaction in my mouth, very gritty, dry and puckery (if that's a word). Is this normal? Does it mean the fruit is not completely ripe? It looks fine, it "feels" ripe. It can't be just me because my DH had the same complaint. I've purchased two persimmons now and had the same exact reaction.
BGVDiva, you made me laugh thinking of Tweety
:)
but the reaction you had is perfectly normal when the fruit is not completely ripe! Prsimmns are strange fruits, when they seem ripe they aren't!! They must fel and look totally squishy, like if they had water inside, don't worry they are not rotten, they will be just perfect!

[Fragola]

GRAZIE Veganforlife!!
You are sooo kind!!
:)

[BGVDiva]

Thanks Fragola! I will give them one more try. I knew I had to be doing something wrong since everyone raves about them so much.

[Veganforlife]

As a kid we had a persimmon tree growing. My older brother would pick one and ask me to take a bite. Me being the gullible little sister and of course he wouldn't torment me, would bit it. YUCK!!!!!!! I could've kissed every Kissing Gourami fish alive!!! He would do it in front of his friends too. And they'd laugh and laugh! Oh yes, more then once I fell for that stupid trick!
Fragola - your avatar is so pretty. Is that you?

[sport]

My Japaneese friend tells me that they like to eat them hard. I can not imagine eating them any other way but very soft.

[Frog]

Fragola, the photo looks like quince to me, though I could be wrong. :)

[Fresherson19]

I have been hesitant to try them but your description of when to eat them helps alot.
You are lucky to have such great friends!!

[sport]

Fragola, the photo looks like quince to me, though I could be wrong. :)
I would not think so. Quince looks like pears.

[Fragola]

As a kid we had a persimmon tree growing. My older brother would pick one and ask me to take a bite. Me being the gullible little sister and of course he wouldn't torment me, would bit it. YUCK!!!!!!! I could've kissed every Kissing Gourami fish alive!!! He would do it in front of his friends too. And they'd laugh and laugh! Oh yes, more then once I fell for that stupid trick!
Fragola - your avatar is so pretty. Is that you?

ohhhh what a terrible experience, unripe persimmons are really nasty!!
:eek:
Thanks Veganforlife, the one in the avatar is me, probably in fruit heaven :)

[Fragola]

My Japaneese friend tells me that they like to eat them hard. I can not imagine eating them any other way but very soft.

well, the explanation is that there is another variety of persimmons, that you can eat hard! We call them here cachi-mela (apple-persimmons) and they are a variety that come from china i believe (i may be wrong here). They are nice, but I do still prefer the squishy ones.

[Fragola]

Fragola, the photo looks like quince to me, though I could be wrong. :)

i wonder... we call them NESPOLE here, I really have no idea about the english name.

[Fragola]

you should be carful about asking the univese... that is true... I wished to have some free persimmons from friends this year... well I've got another 15 pounds yesterday!! :eek:
I am going to have a persimmon party, you are all invited! :D

[RawTruth]

My Japaneese friend tells me that they like to eat them hard. I can not imagine eating them any other way but very soft.These are FUYU persimmons. They are completely different than the Hashiya (sp?) which are the pointy-ended soft and puckery ones.

The Fuyu are amazing. They are flat like a tomato and you eat them crunchy like an apple. They are mild and sweet. NOTHING like the other persimmons. So much different that I almost think of them as a different fruit entirely.

I just bought a case fo $6.95 at a grower's stand in the desert. There are about 25 persimmons in it. Oh heaven.

[Princess Elaine]

Rawtruth (Dianna Raw)...it's me, Elaine...I loooooooooove seeing your happy face and it's like I'm looking over your shoulder....

I wanna share that though I've eaten somewhat healthy most of my adult life...I knew something was missing....I met Rawtruth at a raw potluck party...and I decide I wanna eat like this and whadaya know Rawtruth is a certified Living on Live Food teacher...I took her class 2 weeks into raw...I'm now a week shy of 3 months 100% raw...I feel great...

This forum is great and I read everyday and learn so much...

Oh, I used to throw persimmons away until I learned on this forum how to eat them...now....heavenly...one could spread a ripe persimmon on a cracker...it's just like jam...I also blend them with ice....

Now I'm spreading the word...'anyone have a persimmon tree they don't want'...ha! ha!...

Tomrrow for Thanksgiving I'm taking Alissa's date nut torte and stuffed mushrooms...I also ordered a Thanksgiving meal from Good Mood Food...can't wait...

love, Elaine

[RawTruth]

Hey there, Princess! You've been on my mind lately; how perfect that we'd be on the same thread.

Yes, this is truly persimmon heaven time. I think it's even sweeter knowing that it will only last for a few weeks. Sigh. Ah well, while it's here, I may end up turning orange from ingesting so many!

I'm working on incorporating some into tomorrow's Thanksgiving meal. I'm ending up fixing food at home rather than going out and will be having fun today playing with food.

So glad to hear that you're still doing so fantastically on raw; I had no doubt, though as you were so enthusiastic and totally into the vibe to begin with. The best student! And a glowing testimony to the radiant power of raw -- we need to see your smiling face on here!

[rawnora]

Hi Sara!
I couldn't resist posting on your persimmon thread since I just returned from California where I picked 500 pounds of free, unwanted persimmons! Most of the people whose trees I picked from didn't even know they were edible! Even raw fooders have told me they tried them and will never eat them again.

Yes, I agree with you, they are a very strange and wonderful fruit. The refrigerated ones in the store do not ripen properly. The ones I pick and bring home turn a deep translucent orange color with a tight, extremely fragile skin and are juicy and messy to eat. The store bought ones have tough skins and the meat is thick and dry.

Fyi, I think I mentioned it before but persimmon 'ice cream' is fabulous -- looks like orange sherbet and tastes like pure sugar. Just cut & freeze very ripe persimmons and run them through a Champion juicer.

The mystery fruit looks like mangosteen to me, but I thought they were only tropical. Not sure Italy qualifies? :) Many experienced raw fooders have told me mangosteen is their favorite fruit, even above fresh durian. I've had them and was not impressed but they are supposed to be very different when eaten directly from the tree.

Happy persimmon eating!

Nora
www.RawSchool.com

[maryonherway]

When I was a kid my mom (who always bought way too many) would freeze the very ripe persimmons (the kind with the pointed end, not the flat ones). She would freeze them whole. Once frozen, we would eat them like ice cream as they'd start to thaw.. mmm, sweet, icy, so yummy!

[blueberrygirl]

I heard about them. I live in Michigan in usa. I never seen them before... :confused:
I wanna to try them...

Anybody know where are they in michigan???

[RawTruth]

Hi Sara!
I couldn't resist posting on your persimmon thread since I just returned from California where I picked 500 pounds of free, unwanted persimmons!Nora, I would love to know where these are ... and how you managed that as I live here and have bunches of raw friends who'd love to do this.

[Fragola]

Hi Sara!
I couldn't resist posting on your persimmon thread since I just returned from California where I picked 500 pounds of free, unwanted persimmons! Most of the people whose trees I picked from didn't even know they were edible! Even raw fooders have told me they tried them and will never eat them again.

:eek:
wow 500 pounds... that is a lot!!!
:D
you're going to turn orange :D
That's awesome Nora, what a feast!

[rawnora]

RawTruth,
I don't know what part of California you're in but persimmons like the chill so they grow best in the Central/Northern parts. I'm not keen to give up my specific trees/locations (sorry :)) but you'll have no problems if you ask around for general areas where they grow and drive around the neighborhoods. The trees are easy to spot because they lose their leaves almost completely and leave only the orange, lantern-like fruits hanging from the limbs. The trees are rather large and I have yet to find one that wasn't in a back yard as I'm sure city landscapers do away with trees that hang onto public thoroughfares because of the incredible mess that persimmons make when they ripen and fall to the ground. I'm sure this is why many tree owners don't mind if you pick their fruit. In the smaller towns even when they wanted the fruit people were super friendly and always told me where I could find other trees.

The only thing easier to find than persimmons is citrus, but alas it wasn't ripe when I was there. The cactus pears are awesome, I wish I'd picked more.

Happy hunting! :)
Nora
www.RawSchool.com

[PixieLed]

Yay! After reading this thread I was excited about getting persimmons. There aren't any in my little town, but I went to Toronto to a chinese market and found tons of them! I bought a whole bunch and now I'm just waiting for them to ripen. :)

I have a question though: my Chinese boyfriend said that eating persimmons on an empty stomach causes kidney stones. I being the raw-food girl cannot believe that eating fruits on an empty stomach could cause ANY problems like this, but I would like your opinions please. :) According to his mom & their chinese ways, eating persimmons after a meal is perfectly fine but never before a meal.

Help and thanks in advance!

[RawTruth]

RawTruth,
I don't know what part of California you're in but persimmons like the chill so they grow best in the Central/Northern parts. I'm not keen to give up my specific trees/locations (sorry :)) but you'll have no problems if you ask around for general areas where they grow and drive around the neighborhoods. The trees are easy to spot because they lose their leaves almost completely and leave only the orange, lantern-like fruits hanging from the limbs. The trees are rather large and I have yet to find one that wasn't in a back yard as I'm sure city landscapers do away with trees that hang onto public thoroughfares because of the incredible mess that persimmons make when they ripen and fall to the ground. I'm sure this is why many tree owners don't mind if you pick their fruit. In the smaller towns even when they wanted the fruit people were super friendly and always told me where I could find other trees.

The only thing easier to find than persimmons is citrus, but alas it wasn't ripe when I was there. The cactus pears are awesome, I wish I'd picked more.

Happy hunting! :)
Nora
www.RawSchool.com (http://www.RawSchool.com)Sorry I wasn't clear, Nora. I wasn't asking for your particuar locations. I have a Fuyu persimmon tree myself as does my next-door neighbor. I was wondering if you approach the homeowners and ask them if you can pick what they're obviously not picking ... or if you pick with a gleaning group. Just looking for a few hints. I'm glad you enjoyed the bounty of The Sunshine State.

[carolg]

Give me those delicious soft mushy ones. Got some for $.77 yesterday, not organic and also 2 for $$.88 different kind. I peel the skin and eat as is. No time to mix with anything else as it's gone instantly by me. It's fabulous! I haven't don't researched their nutritional value, but I love them regardless. If they are hard, they create this film that sticks to my teeth--yuck, so for me buy soft mushy best vs. waiting for it to get soft. Enjoy.
carolg

[BGVDiva]

I did my persimmon research online today at http://www.seedtosupper.com/persimmons.html . I never realized that there were two different kinds of persimmons (astringent and non-astringent). I was originally served the firm, non-astringent kind and loved it. However, what I would buy at the store was a firm (unripe), astringent variety, and couldn't figure out why they were so nasty. :eek:

On my lunch break, I walked up to the store and purchased a firm, ripe Fuyu Persimmon (non-astringent) and ate it for lunch. WOW! Now, I too am in Persimmon Heaven!

Thanks for enlightening me!!! :D

[rawnora]

BGVDiva,
Don't give up on the Hachiyas. Buy them hard, put them stem end down on a plate and set them in a place where they will be undisturbed until they become translucent from tip to stem. Sometimes the store bought ones take a long time to ripen, and sometimes they just wrinkle up instead of becoming translucent, so buy several to increase your odds of getting some good ones.

Good luck!
Nora
www.RawSchool.com