slo’s THURSDAY 1/25 poll - Persimmon 🍅

[soccerdad72]

I've heard of them - never tried them (that I can remember).

 

[PollyannaMom]

Hachiyas have an acorn shape while the other version is round more like a tomato.

I decided to look up what they taste like, and accidentally found the name of the other variety:

Persimmons have a mild, delicately sweet flavor. Fuyu persimmons are sweet unripened but grow even more richly sweet as they ripen, with slight cinnamon undertones. While horribly astringent when unripe, ripened Hachiya persimmons are intensely sweet with almost a honey-like flavor. (https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/)

 

[1420Elexismc]

I've heard of them...don't think I've ever had it(but I could be wrong)...definitely never bought one...have seen them in stores

 

[disney4us2002]

Don't laugh but the only reason I know of persimmons is because of a Hallmark movie. It was a movie about two competing food truck chefs and one of the sandwiches was a BLP rather than a BLT. I assume the persimmon is close to a tomato since that was the substitution.

 

[The Mayor]

Never heard of it and never had it.

 

[SueInBoston]

I grew up eating persimmons, it was my grandmother's favorite winter fruit. You can find them in Asian markets. We always eat it as a fruit, peel the skin, cut or break into small sections, I've never had it cooked or baked.

 

[Micca]

I have heard of persimmons but never tried any. I don't object to sampling something different, I enjoy many types of food. Never once in my long life has anyone said to me "These persimmons are amazing, you gotta taste it." Based on that, and my general dislike of any fresh fruit, I think I'll take a pass.

BTW In Mary Poppins there is a brief appearance of a character called "Miss Persimmon." When she appears on screen she has a kind of puckered facial expression as if she just bit into something very bitter or sour.

 

[jo-jo]

So glad you including a picture. Had no idea what they looked like.

 

[tvguy]

They are a popular tree for people to have here and seem to produce more fruit than anyone can use. When I take my walk in my area it is not uncommon for people to put out a box of them from their tree to give away.
I don't recall ever eating the fruit by itself, but I have had persimmon cookies. Nothing special.
Orange and lemon trees are more popular here, and as I can attest to you spend a lot of time giving away the fruit.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I have heard of persimmons but never tried any. I don't object to sampling something different, I enjoy many types of food. Never once in my long life has anyone said to me "These persimmons are amazing, you gotta taste it." Based on that, and my general dislike of any fresh fruit, I think I'll take a pass.

BTW In Mary Poppins there is a brief appearance of a character called "Miss Persimmon." When she appears on screen she has a kind of puckered facial expression as if she just bit into something very bitter or sour.

https://www.heart.org/en/news/2020/10/19/persimmons-pack-plenty-of-nutritional-punch

They are a nutritional powerhouse, and a pleasant fall fruit that is not pumpkin.

Pomegranates are also amazing...it seems fall/early winter fruits all need to start with a P...

I always get Fuyu (although I have prepped Hachiya...once)...and recommend anyone deciding to try these (always sold at HMart) to go that direction b/c they are easier to prep and eat (b/c they can be cooked or not), and easier to have when tasty (the Hachiya needs to be "timed" and normally prepped with lots of sweetener, so you've wasted most of the reason to have the fruit - to be healthy)...

PS - Since I brought up the 2 "p" fruits, another way I prep persimmons is in a persimmon pomegranate salad https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/persimmon_pomegranate_fruit_salad/ - you also add apple (another fall fruit) and mint (during its last months for picking), and it's perfect eating in Oct/Nov/early Dec...

 

[rowan1813]

Persimmons grow in my location (Central CA) and are very popular for use in local baked goods (cookies mostly). I've never eaten one outright though.

 

[ford family]

When I was a frequent business visitor to Tokyo the hotels often put persimmons with the fresh fruit in the room.
Tasted okay but needed eating fairly quickly as their texture became too soft if left.

ford family

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I've heard of them, and seen them in the supermarket, but have never had one.

 

[MGMmjl]

The only reason I've heard of persimmons is actually related to the weather. Apparently, folklore says that you can predict winter weather using persimmon seeds:

• If the kernel is spoon-shaped, expect plenty of snow to shovel.
• If it is fork-shaped, plan on a mild winter with powdery, light snow.
• If the kernel is knife-shaped, expect frigid winds that will “cut” like a blade.

https://www.almanac.com/predicting-weather-using-persimmon-seed

 

[slo]

Growing up, my mother would periodically make persimmon pudding. I wasn't a big fan, but it did have an interesting taste.

Fast forward to 2017, we moved to the north side of the Houston area and into house previously owned by a couple with a real interest in more unique plants and trees. It was early July and we had this small tree in the backyard that was producing an amazing amount of fruit...we just didn't know what it was. The unripe fruit looked a bit like granny smith apples. Overripe fruit looked like plums. It wasn't until we had some ripen that we realized we had persimmons. I tried working with them, but I still wasn't a fan of the fruit.

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Come fall, I started to notice much smaller fruit falling into my Halloween display. It wasn't the same as the backyard tree. This front yard tree was significantly taller (second story of the house height) yet the fruit was like the size of a walnut in its shell. The leaf pattern at the top was the sign that it was another persimmon tree...just a totally different variety. The ones that made it to the ground were so overripe and squishy that I never had a chance to see if they tasted better. Not my pic, but most of the fruit from this tall front yard tree was tiny like this photo or even smaller.

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We ended up getting rid of both trees. They weren't unpleasant to the eye, but they produced such an excessive amount of fruit, which caused all kinds of bug and animal issues. We couldn't keep up with picking up what fell to the ground, we had no interest in harvesting to eat it, and we were getting tired of the bug and animal issues. So, that's my persimmon story

Thank you for sharing your pictures and story.

 

[slo]

The only reason I've heard of persimmons is actually related to the weather. Apparently, folklore says that you can predict winter weather using persimmon seeds:

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• If the kernel is spoon-shaped, expect plenty of snow to shovel.
• If it is fork-shaped, plan on a mild winter with powdery, light snow.
• If the kernel is knife-shaped, expect frigid winds that will “cut” like a blade.

https://www.almanac.com/predicting-weather-using-persimmon-seed

Wow….very interesting!

 

[slo]

Thank you to everyone for your participation and posts today

 

[mumto3girls]

I have heard of them and have seen them in the grocery store but haven’t tried them. I’m curious though.

 

[leebee]

I think I've always known that persimmons exist, and I've seen them in the grocery store for years, but I don't think I've ever had one, or had persimmon in anything.

 

[goooof1]

My persimmon experience:
I tried one from a tree that a friend had in their yard. Did not care for it.