Persimmons - Beautiful, but Beware!

There are two kinds of persimmons,  Hachiya and Fuyu. Fuyus are rounder, firmer, and can be eaten like an apple. Hachiyas are more acorn shaped and should look like an over ripe tomato when ready to use. Cut open and scoop out the pulp. Very Tasty. To me they are quite reminiscent of pumpkin, only better, because I really don't like pumpkin.  


NOTE: I learned the hard way: DO NOT USE Hachiya persimmons unless they are literally mushy and ripe or  your mouth is going to experience a very unpleasant trip. 

 I once put a sliver of unripe Hachiya on my tongue and it went numb and became totally dry. It felt so odd that I thought I was having a serious allergic reaction. Lesson learned! It turns out that the Hachiya persimmons are highly astringent most of their lives, until they are very ripe, where Fuyus are not,  Never eat Hachiya persimmons fresh off the tree. They must be ripe and MUSHY before eaten. 

Tip: To hasten ripening, put a heart-shaped (Hachiya) persimmon in a paper bag along with a banana. The banana releases ethylene, which ripens the persimmon.

The Fuyus (which look like light tomatoes) can be enjoyed either crisp or soft and when cut, the cross-section reveals a lovely 8 pointed star. It looks quite beautiful in fruit platters...and the good news is , they maintain their brilliant color.  Both of these offer a lovely color and a flavor that is reminiscent of apricot and mango. Although, when mixed with banana and maple syrup, reminds me more of pumpkin.

Enjoy a delicious Raw Vegan "Pumpkin" Pie made with these stunning persimmons.