Persimmons

Persimmons are brilliant orange in color, richly sweet flesh that is soft and creamy in texture, with an edible skin. They're also referred to as the "Apple of the Orient", having originated in the Far East.

As a child, there was a Hachiya Persimmon tree in our backyard and we would gather the ripened persimmons for my Mother's Persimmon Pudding. My Grandmother would always warn me not to eat the un-ripened fruit as it would turn my mouth inside out. Of course, every kid wants to find out what that is like...what she really was trying to say....the unripened fruit is extremely bitter and inedible. We learned that the color of the fruit did not matter, as long as the fruit is soft but not mushy.

Whether you pick persimmons or buy them at the grocer, if they are not ripe, you can store them in a plastic bag at room temperature until they ripen, then refrigerate.

The other type of Persimmon is called the Fuyu which is smaller that the Hachiya and not bitter, and is firm when ripe.

Persimmons are considered a fall festive fruit and are available from October through February.