Persimmon

[jules88]

I just bought persimmons today. I have no idea when they are ripe or how to tell if they are. Is color or feel an indication? Do you just eat them with skins or peel them. How are they supposed to taste? Sweet?

[JennaBoBenna]

Hey! Persimmons are usually picked ripe. The darker they are, the sweeter they are. They are like a soft apple, very sweet! The skin is a bit thick, but still good. Just bite into one or slice it up :)
I love persimmons!

[rawzeit]

I bought some last week but kept them too long and they spoiled. :(

[sport]

I had this discussion with my japaneese friend this evening. She came to visit and had one of the ones that I have ripening.
For me they will not be ready to eat for at least a week but for her they are perfect. In Japan they eat them hard. I like to have them really really soft. I leave them untill they are not far off going off and they melt in my mouth.

[Dylan]

i've never had one! And I was wondering how to know when they are ready, because I remember a friend told me he found them very sensual and delicious.

it sounds like it's more about the feel than anything else when deciding ripeness?

[Gittel]

The produce guy at Whole Foods explained to me years ago that there are basically two types of persimmons--one is round and squat; the other is round and tear-drop shaped. He said that the squatty ones are sweeter; the tear-dropped shaped tend to give one a cotton-mouth feeling (dry, very dry). He also guided me to buy them bright-colored and soft-ish (or wait for them to become soft). Hope this helps.

Gittel

[JennaBoBenna]

The produce guy at Whole Foods explained to me years ago that there are basically two types of persimmons--one is round and squat; the other is round and tear-drop shaped. He said that the squatty ones are sweeter; the tear-dropped shaped tend to give one a cotton-mouth feeling (dry, very dry). He also guided me to buy them bright-colored and soft-ish (or wait for them to become soft). Hope this helps.

Gittel

The squatty ones are fuyu and the tear drop ones are hachiya :)

[jaurequi]

Yes, there are two types. The round, harder ones are to be eaten firm (think apples); the diamond-shaped are supposed to be very soft before eating. Both are sweet; the texture is what is different.

Best,

[jules88]

Thanks guys!!!! I believe at least one is ripe now and it is more orange than red and tear drop shaped. Thanks for the info concerning the texture as some textures totally turn me off.

[jules88]

They were very very sweet and yummy too. You were right about the cotton-mouth feeling, but is not really problem.

[aililiu]

ive been wanting to try these but i can only find them non-organic in chinatown. what do you think: worth it?

same goes for mangosteen and longans and durian, no organic.
i do buy non-o coconuts, dragonfruit and poms from chinatown so i guess ive already crossed the line, LOL

[Yana]

Hachiya persimmons are my absolute favorite food. Jules88, if they are ripe, there won't be a cotton mouth feeling. Give it some more time, they should be pretty mushy, you'l probably be surprised at the difference. Enjoy them!! :D

Aililiu, I've only been able to get some organic fuyu, other than those in my organc produce box- nuffin' :(. I say get some anyway, if they're fresh, you're golden :)

[Zaphirah]

the tear-dropped shaped tend to give one a cotton-mouth feeling (dry, very dry).

so that explains it. blech! :p

[themindless]

The produce guy at Whole Foods explained to me years ago that there are basically two types of persimmons--one is round and squat; the other is round and tear-drop shaped. He said that the squatty ones are sweeter; the tear-dropped shaped tend to give one a cotton-mouth feeling (dry, very dry). He also guided me to buy them bright-colored and soft-ish (or wait for them to become soft). Hope this helps.

Gittel

lol! my taste buds went numb from that feeling and i was all "OH CRAP DID I GET POISONED?" i grew up eating the squatty ones and then all of a sudden i tried the tear drop one and it was scaryyyy. it was mushyish too so i thought i'd get something sweet and nice but damnnn. scary.

[Malina]

ive been wanting to try these but i can only find them non-organic in chinatown. what do you think: worth it?

I bought a few persimmons at my local organic shop for $1.79 each. Then I was at a T&T supermarket (Asian groceries) and found them for 69 cents a pound (non-organic). I got a whole huge box full for about $10. Not ideal since they're not organic, but it's a compromise I'm willing to make for this once-a-year treat.

[Riiiya]

i am officially a persimmon addict :o

i love the "tear-drop" hachiya ones and our local meijer sells them 2 for $1!!! gotta love meijer!!!!! :D

What makes me sad is that the fuyus have no seeds- when you look at them, the seeds are..well "undeveloped" so they're a weak strand i guess? hubrid? grrr :mad:

[Ama]

so that explains it. blech! :p

Interesting! I didn't know this and I bought two a week or so ago. I peeled it bit into it and spit it out. I said to my husband that I feel like I had cotton mouth - it SERIOUSLY left my mouth so dry that I needed water and I didn't even chew that much nor swallow. Once I got that cottony feel I spit it right out. In the garbage that went. I was so sad as they were almost $2 each and I hate to throw things out.

[raw_danceruk]

:D I love love love them

They are so cheap right now, so I bought lots..they were perfectly ripe this morning..so I took them, ate all the inside jelly super soft flesh and then ate all the skin empty .. seriously is like candy..but 1000 times better!! natures candy :cool:


raw-k in!!

[mel_s12]

I just had my first persimmons today.

I think I'm in love! :D

[klomasius]

Ahh!

I don't like persimmons yet have a whole tree full of them! I have the squat huyu variety.

I wish I could give them away to you guys, but there's an ocean or two in the way.

Not to worry, they'll just go to my local fruit swap, probably swapped for some lovely fresh organic greens, or some lemons.

[subbacultcha]

I wish I had a persimmon tree...

[klomasius]

Sub,

If I could, it would be yours!

I've really tried to like them, but I can only make myself eat so many and the little tree is a dynamo producer.

[Rawmichelle]

Anybody ever try Sharon fruit? I saw them today in a box for $7.99 but didn't buy them...just bought a single one and it was soooo good!!! Just like a persimmon but really sweeter!
Rawmichelle

[raw_danceruk]

I am addicted to sharon fruits!!..they are sooo amazing like caramel apple or candy or something.. cant believe something sooo sweet is from nature!!

its amazing..and so cheap right now:D

[sport]

I always thought that that was just two different names for the same fruit. Am I wrong,

[Malina]

I always thought that that was just two different names for the same fruit. Am I wrong,

According to Wikipedia, Sharon Fruit is the trade name for a species of persimmon that has been artificially ripened with chemicals. The Wikipedia article gives the source of this information as "Persimmon Fruit Facts" by the California Rare Fruit Growers. I just looked that up, and I didn't know it before. I ate so many Sharon Fruits while living in England and they definitely were sweeter than the persimmons I get in Canada!

[sport]

Thanks
The ones that I am getting in Europe at the moment are organic so I assume that they are persimmon.

[mmmichelle]

I was just searching for info on persimmons and I found this link:

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/11/persimmons-and-frozen-persimmon-sorbet.html

I thought it sounded good so I thought I would pass it on.

Michelle

[trinity082482]

I bought one today in hopes of finding a juice or smoothie recipe that it would merrie with.

[apower2me408]

Commercially, there are generally two types of persimmon fruit; astringent of which the heart-shaped Hachiya is the most common - and non-astringent, which can be eaten firm, most commonly sold as fuyu, which is squat like a tomato. Astringent persimmons contain very high levels of soluble tannins and are unpalatable if eaten before softening. (COTTON MOUTH) The astringency of tannins is removed by ripening by exposure to light over several days, or artificially with chemicals such as alcohol and carbon dioxide which change tannin into the insoluble form. This bletting process is sometimes jumpstarted by exposing the fruit to cold or frost which hastens cellular wall breakdown. These astringent persimmons can also be prepared for commercial purposes by drying.
(AKA these persimmons need to be overripened to actually enjoy them)

Non-astringent persimmons are not actually free of tannins as the term suggests, but rather are far less astringent before ripening, and lose more of their tannic quality sooner. Non-astringent persimmons may be consumed when still very firm to very very soft.

[WannaBraw]

lol! my taste buds went numb from that feeling and i was all "OH CRAP DID I GET POISONED?" i grew up eating the squatty ones and then all of a sudden i tried the tear drop one and it was scaryyyy. it was mushyish too so i thought i'd get something sweet and nice but damnnn. scary.

It was scary for me too. I wondered if I was having an allergic reaction. I never had that feeling ever before. I will look for the short "squatty" ones instead of tear drop ones next time. Thanks for the heads up.

Ellyn

[GypsiAnsara]

Persimmons are my absolute favorite food. Growing up, where I lived they cost about $5 each, and I'd get one and wait and wait til it was ripe - and then saaaaaavor it!!
Now I live in California and they are everywhere - like gorgeous jewels on bare trees! I have about 100 (no joke) in my kitchen right now covering every available space, and the semi mushy ones went into the freezer.
My favorite time of year!
I might turn orange.

The pointy ones are very good scooped out and used as jam on top of a cracker with almond butter. That's my new favorite. Lots of people eat them over ice cream. I'm thinking of trying to figure out a jam bar recipe for the dehydrator.

My hubby came home with a bag of fuyus someone gave him today - so we're all set! Those are nice sliced on a salad.

Even my dog is crazy for them. She was going a little nuts when I was emptying the bags tonight!

If you blend them with water, soaked cashews and pumpkin pie spices, it makes a delicious smoothie. I think the pointy ones are best for that.