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Persimmon is a small tree with a luscious edible orange fruit, technically a berry. The word Persimmon is an alteration of a word originally coming from an Algonquian language of the native Powhatan of coastal Virginia meaning dry fruit due to its tannic skins. Persimmon is wild in the southeast United States, and a planted edible cultivar of the West coast. Different Persimmon species are also native to parts of Asia, and southeast Europe. Persimmon has a cultural tradition of use in many parts of the world including the Middle East, Spain and areas of the Mediterranean. Recently, I made my annual batch of fruit leather from planted Asian varieties in California to stock up for the winter and next years camping season. Its probably one of the tastiest fruit leathers ever. The sugars in the fruit condense during the process and the flavor strengthens. Across parts of Asia, methods of drying Persimmons vary including the more well known style of drying called hoshigaki. Different forms of the dried fruit can be found in markets and herb stores in especially in more populated urban areas, and pretty much everywhere on the West coast.
But the main reason we love persimmons is that elusive pleasure — a winter fruit — adding some much-welcome color and sweetness to a time of hardy vegetables and tubers.
GF Persimmon Quick bread Recipe
(created by Eric Davis, Bay area chef)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups GF flour (your choice of mix)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups Persimmon pureed, skins off
- 1/2 cup chopped dates
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1/2 cup coconut oil or ghee melted
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp clove
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp salt
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Grease bread loaf pan with your choice of oil.
- Make persimmon puree. Peel and de-seed persimmons. Any is variety okay, as long as they are ripe. Put in blender, puree but leave semi-chunky.
- Start with 2 bowls. Wet and dry.
- In the wet bowl, add eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, persimmon puree. Whip by hand until incorporated. Slowly add melted warm fat (ghee or coconut oil) whisking while you add (tempering oil into the mix, as to not cook the egg).
- In the dry bowl, add GF flour mix, baking soda, baking powder, salt, spices and whip to incorporate.
- Fold dry ingredients into the wet bowl.
- Bake for approx. 35 minutes, until inserted toothpick or knife pulls out clean.
- Let cool 20 minutes or more.
Also, college pal Renee Byrd of Will Frolic For Food blog has whipped up some crazy awesome Persimmon recipes with both the wild southern species and the Asian cultivated varieties. Check out her Persimmon Date Shake, which sounds amazing.
The persimmon was brought to California in the mid 1800’s, originating in China where there are over two thousand different varieties. Here in California, there are two main varieties that you’ll find around your town.
One persimmon contains about 55% of your daily needs for vitamin A – promoting healthy immune support, inflammation fighting, eye health and skin health, and control of malignant cells in the body (with studies that link vitamin A intake to the possible prevention of cancer). Additionally, persimmons are loaded with vitamin C, flavanoids, phytonutrients, antioxidants, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and manganese which is said to protect against mouth and lung cancers.
If you’re just now looking to plant a persimmon tree, choose a spot in either full sun or partial shade (especially if you’re in a hotter area) and make sure to dig a really deep hole as the tree will be growing a super long taproot. Persimmon trees will thrive in a soil pH of 6.5 – 7.5, but will do ok slightly out of that range as well.
So get out there and take a closer look at your persimmon tree or the one creeping over from your neighbor’s fence! Here are some great recipes from Williams-Sonoma, though my favorite thing to do with persimmons (besides eating right of the tree) is to freeze, then blend up with a little cream for a frozen treat.
As we’ve seen, persimmon trees can get huge – often reaching 25 feet tall. They are pretty sturdy but do have fairly brittle branches that are prone to damage in high winds. You’ll see flowers emerge on the end of branches by about March. They can be prone to alternate bearing, the habit of producing a heavy fruit set one year and a less than ideal fruit set the following year. To combat this and try to even it out, you can ‘thin’ the fruit (go through and pick off about every other persimmon when they’re only grape-size), and/or prune the tree lightly after a season with low fruit yields.
Complete Guide To PRUNING PERSIMMONS: Winter Pruning ASIAN PERSIMMON TREES
FAQ
Is persimmon a summer fruit?
What is the season for persimmon?
Are persimmons a winter fruit?
What is the best time to eat persimmon?
What is a persimmon Berry?
A persimmon is actually a berry that comes from the edible fruit trees in the genus, Diospyros which has been fondly referred to as the “Divine Fruit.” Native to China, the persimmon has been cultivated for thousands of years. Japan has been cultivating persimmons for about 1300 years.
Are persimmons a good winter fruit?
This winter fruit is an underrated treat. As long as pecans and peaches have been able to grow in the South, so have persimmons. The uniquely sweet, plump, squishy fruits come into season during the late fall and winter from around October to February.
Are persimmons a fruit?
Persimmons are a tree fruit related to the date plum, the black sapote, and the mabolo. Most cultivated persimmons are variants of the species Diospyros kaki (sometimes called Oriental persimmons, Japanese persimmons, or kaki), which is native to China and is found in Japan, Myanmar, the Himalayas, and parts of northern India.
What is a persimmon tree?
You may often hear it being referred to as American persimmon, eastern persimmon or even possum apples. The tree is deciduous, losing its leaves in winter and leaving only the bright orange, plum like fruits. It can grow to heights of 20m, with a slender trunk tiled with bark that could resemble chunky dragon scales.