Persimmon

About
Nicknamed the "apple of the Orient", persimmons are an exceptionally sweet fruit available only during the fall and early winter. If you have ever bitten into a native persimmon or an unripe Japanese variety, you know that they can be puckery when not fully ripe. Especially since the skin reaches its full color before the fruit is ripe - it is important to check for ripeness. To ripen, allow firm, unripe persimmons to stand at room temperature up to 1 week. To speed ripening, place in a paper bag along with an apple. Check daily.

Varieties
Fuju looks like a bright orange, medium-sized tomato. Neat to eat like an apple - has a crisp texture that makes it good for slicing and using of fruit trays or in fruit salads.

Hachiya is larger than the Fuju with a pointed end and orange-red skin color. Must be very soft to enjoy. Cut off the pointed end of the fruit and spoon out the soft flesh.

Availability
Fall and early winter.

Nutrition Information:
For complete nutritional information, click here.

Additional Information
• Why Eat It - Selection - Storage - Preparation
• From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia