
I don’t know why it took so long for me to discover persimmons but they are definitely part of my diet now. There were 2 different kinds of persimmons at the market and they are different in several ways. The first is the Fuyu Persimmon and these are short like a flattened apple and more mild in flavor. The second is the Hachiya Persimmon and they are longer and similar in shape to a Roma tomato; these are much sweeter.
When to buy-
Fuyu- these will be slightly firm and are a light orange to red color.
Hachiya- best when eaten very soft. It will have a jellylike texture which may not seem appealing because we are used to this happening with fruits gone bad. If you eat them before this stage you will be sorry! I ate one before it was ripe and had to immediately spit it out. The fruit’s tannins need to break down to change it from astringent to a sweet and sugary flavor. The farmer I bought them from told me to place them in the window sill for a week to help them ripen.
How to prepare-
Fuyu- just cut off the leafy top and chop into desired size. These are great in salads, baked in items or just eaten plain as a snack
Hachiya- since these are so soft when ripe, you can either spoon out the flesh to eat them or they are great for making jams or baked goods
They are ~100-120 calories per medium size fruit and an excellent source of fiber, Vit A, Vit C and manganese
When to buy-
Fuyu- these will be slightly firm and are a light orange to red color.
Hachiya- best when eaten very soft. It will have a jellylike texture which may not seem appealing because we are used to this happening with fruits gone bad. If you eat them before this stage you will be sorry! I ate one before it was ripe and had to immediately spit it out. The fruit’s tannins need to break down to change it from astringent to a sweet and sugary flavor. The farmer I bought them from told me to place them in the window sill for a week to help them ripen.
How to prepare-
Fuyu- just cut off the leafy top and chop into desired size. These are great in salads, baked in items or just eaten plain as a snack
Hachiya- since these are so soft when ripe, you can either spoon out the flesh to eat them or they are great for making jams or baked goods
They are ~100-120 calories per medium size fruit and an excellent source of fiber, Vit A, Vit C and manganese