For local growers time is ripe to pick persimmons

Persimmons Courtesy Photo

Have you ever bitten into a fruit that looks like a bright orange pointed tomato but that makes your lips pucker with its bitter taste?

Well, you just might have tasted an unripe persimmon, one of the colorful and plentiful fall fruits that grow in Redlands.

The botanical name for persimmon is diospyros, which is Greek for “food of the gods.” Worldwide, there are hundreds of varieties of persimmon, but only three types are well-known today in America.

Diospyros virginiana or American persimmon — significant for its historical value — is the most winter-hardy species on Earth and it is native only to the United States. Millions of wild persimmon trees that covered the American landscape east of the Mississippi were filled with small orange fruits shining through the snowfalls.

But early explorers and settlers of North America found them inedible. After learning from Native Americans how to eat persimmons, the explorers and settlers were impressed. The Algonquin, Cree, Delaware and other Native Americans ate the ripe, tasty fruits and used the nutritious dried persimmons as a valuable winter food source.

Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto and his conquistadors had bread made from dried persimmons and English naturalist John Bradbury enjoyed similar persimmon bread from the Osage tribe. Persimmon seeds were even used to foretell the weather.

However, our native Diospyros virginiana or American persimmon is no longer so important foodwise. They are quite different from the persimmons we see in the fall today. Diospyros kaki or Japanese persimmon — also known as hachiya — is now the dominant variety in the United States. It did not originate in Japan but is a native of China. It was introduced to Japan more than 1,000 years ago and has become Japan’s national fruit.

From China and Japan, this persimmon has traveled around the world. It has been grown in France, Italy and several other European countries as well as Russia for more than 100 years. Commodore Matthew Perry opened Japan to the West in 1855 and changed Westerners’ outlook on persimmons forever. On his return to the United States, he brought back persimmon trees that were planted in Washington, D.C. Some time later, the first Japanese persimmons arrived in California and later in the Southeastern United States.

The most common Japanese persimmon today is the hachiya, known for its bright orange color, pointed tomato shape and its very astringent quality. They must be fully ripe (mushy) to be enjoyed. The taste is somewhat like that of an overly sweet apricot with a smooth, slippery texture.

The other Japanese persimmon is the fuyu. It is also bright orange but it is non-astringent. It can be eaten when firm, just like an apple, skin and all. It looks like a medium-sized tomato with a flat bottom. It can also be diced and added to both fruit and vegetable salads.

Nutritionally, all persimmons are a valuable source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. These fruits provide vitamin C, beta carotene, small amounts of protein, some trace B vitamins, moderate calcium and a good deal of potassium.

Today, the most used persimmon variety is the hachiya. They have been a part of countless recipes for breads, salads, pancakes, waffles, cookies, pies, cakes, muffins, ice cream, candies, sauces and desserts for years. The most popular recipe is persimmon pudding. It exists in hundreds of variations and has even been served at the White House.

Hachiya persimmons become available in late November and December. They are picked while still hard and unripe. Select persimmons that are quite firm and allow them to ripen at room temperature until they are completely soft. Patience pays off. Your freshly ripened fruit will have unmatchable sweetness that some liken to ambrosia, truly “food of the gods.”

You can dry your hachiyas. Slice them while they are unripe and firm — either peeled or unpeeled — and dry them in the oven or in a dehydrator. Dried persimmons will lose their unique astringency. They will be delicious and will have a sweet, chewy consistency similar to dates.

Freezing is also a good storage method. Simply scoop the ripe fruit into an airtight container and freeze. Or you can freeze the ripe fruits whole for up to six months. They are good to eat frozen and are reported to soothe digestion.

For information, call 909-798-9384.
