Persimmons?

[Rawkinlocs]

I have two of them in my fridge and I don't know what to do with them. Do I just eat them as is? What do they taste like? I've seen them mentioned in different posts and I saw them at the fruit market and picked up a couple. They're two different kinds; one I think said "Fuji" and the other I can't remember, but one is kinda round and flat like a tomato and kind of firm and the other is more enlongated and softer.

[Rawism]

Persimmons are one of my favorite fruits. I eat everything except the skin. However, the key is to eat them when they are ripe or even overripe. If not, the taste is so bitter that you might think that is how it is supposed to taste.

On the contrary, they are as sweet as ever!!

I think I am going to pick some up now. Talking about them has made me hungry :)

[Melissa]

I think it's best not to refridgerate persimmons, gals. I leave mine out on the counter to ripen. They're ripe when soft and speckled. When you cut it open the flesh should be a gorgeous shade of orange. The texture is soft and a bit gelatinous, glistening, yum. You can spoon it right out of its skin. The persimmon has the special place in my heart of being my very first food as a baby...and I still get a magical feeling when I eat them. Why don't I have any in the house right now?! Must rectify that situation pronto! Enjoy.

[Rawkinlocs]

Wow, thanks ladies! I'll let you know how I like them once I taste them. I guess I'd better sit them on the counter, though!

[FEELIN'GOOD]

Hey Rawkinlocs!

My mother in law just gave me 3 dozen persimmons, and I was like what do I do with these? I finally bought a juicer, and I figured what the hec?? I juiced them in with some carrots- Awesome! It sweetens the carrot juice to almost a dessert slurpie! Yum!

[Analeah]

I am not sure if I have ever eaten a raw traditional pointy soft persimmon before but I have had the Fuji or asian kind that are flat and look like a tomatoe. They are so yummy! You don't have to wait until these get soft and you can eat it just like an apple. I am not really sure how to tell exactly when they are ripe or ready but I have never had an asian persimmon that was bitter or tasted bad but if you wait until it gets a little soft it gets even more sweet. If you bought more than one I would try it out and see how you like it and then wait a few days on the others. Probably best not to refrigerate them unless they are really ripe and will spoil.

[Rawkinlocs]

Thanks again for the added suggestions! :)

[tglasco4]

I bought five of them last week. Delicious! Today I ate the last one, it was red because it was very ripe. I could eat it skin and all! There was no mouth-drying reaction (which happened as I ate the others). So, I have concluded that once the persimmon is well-riped (redish in color) one can safely eat the whole thing. Which I thoroughly enjoyed doing!

Peace.

Todd

[Analeah]

Do people peal the asian persimmons well or just the regular ones? I have never peeled the asian ones because I don't notice a negative taste to the skins but I am curious if other people normally peel all persimmons?

[rawelkie]

Hi!
I don't my persimmoms either,I just eat them like I would eat an apple.I prefer mine when they are not too ripe.
Cherie,when you have a blender like the vitamix or something:put persimmoms in with some other fruit like apple,mango,...It turns out like a thick jelly pudding.When you want to make a pie filling out of persimmoms,you don't have to use a thickener like psyllium husk!I use just persimmoms,dates and some vanilla powder on a almond/date crust.On top I make almond cream(almonds,dates,vanilla and water).Rawsome!
Elke.

[carolg]

Can liquid vanilla work if I use pinch vs. powder. I bet it would and the pie sounds super easy using persimmom. Wonder if this a natural thickener!
carolg

[corky]

Rawelkie,
Thanks for the pointer on persimmons as a thickener--will add that to my 'must try' list!! I also thought you had to peel them--that is why this board is so good--we can all learn so much!!

[rawelkie]

I also think it's great to give each other new tips!
The persimmom pie indeed is super easy:a pie to make when unexpected guests arrive (and you have persimmoms ;-)
I always put a batch in my freezer,that way I have persimmoms all year round!It's easy using the vitamix than.....
Oh,instead of vanilla,use a dash of cinnamom......Great!
PS:I love to invent rawfood recipes!I'm looking forward to my first rawfood recipe book that's coming out in January.It will be the first one in Belgium!
:)

[Rawkinlocs]

Okay yall,

I don't know WHAT the deal is, but I cut one of the persimmons in half and tasted it. It was VERY soft and ripe and I don't know if it was the skin or the flesh itself, but it left a very weird taste/feeling in my mouth. It was like...gritty kinda and my mouth felt really dry or something like that after I ate it.

Definitely an experience I don't want to experience again. Any idea what could have been wrong?

[Analeah]

did you try the pointy or the flat kind?

[tglasco4]

Hey Rawkinlocs,

It wasn't completely ripe when you ate it. When its not ripe and you eat it that will happen. When its completely ripe (very soft and very squishy) you can eat the whole thing without that issue. That was my experience anyways. :)

Todd


Okay yall,

I don't know WHAT the deal is, but I cut one of the persimmons in half and tasted it. It was VERY soft and ripe and I don't know if it was the skin or the flesh itself, but it left a very weird taste/feeling in my mouth. It was like...gritty kinda and my mouth felt really dry or something like that after I ate it.

Definitely an experience I don't want to experience again. Any idea what could have been wrong?

[Rawism]

Yep. That is what I was afraid of, Rawkinlocs. Sometimes the persimmons look ripe but they really aren't.

Tglasco4 is correct. The persimmons were not ripe. If you think that the persimmon has been sitting out for too long and it's probably no good, that is when it is perfect to eat!!

[Rawkinlocs]

Analeah: It was the pointy one...the flat one is still in there.

Todd and Platinum: Are yall for real?? Daaaannggg...that thing was squishy-SQUISHY soft! If it were any mushier, I don't know that I'd want to eat it. But I'll take your word for it and try again with the other one, letting it get even more ripe!

Thanks for the feedback!

[Analeah]

I haven't had the pointy kind raw yet but I have heard they have to be super ripe and mushy before they are good like they said before so I would give it another chance before giving up on it altogether lol. The flat kind I think is good almost anytime. I usually wait until it gets maybe a little soft like you would an avocado or nectarine or something but you definately shouldn't wait until it gets mushy for this kind of persimmon lol. Let us know how you like the flat kind though I think it is quite a bit different from the pointy kind.

[Olive]

I always eat the squat ones when they are really firm. The skin should be mainly a deepish orange, not yellow. They aren't nearly as astringent/drying as the pointy ones!

[Rawkinlocs]

Thanks Analeah and Olive!