Persimmons Perhaps?

 

I was shopping at Safeway one fall day when I came upon a man who was quizzically looking over a display of fresh produce. He looked up and noticed me and asked, "What are these?" When I told him they were persimmons, he asked, "What do you do with them?" 

What, indeed. I told him to start by eating some out of hand, and then pairing them with some nice cheese. But I could have gone further, as a former Midwesterner, about this fruit native to the central and Eastern parts of North America. Diospyros virginiana, or Common Persimmon, is the variety known in the U.S., while the Eastern Hemisphere has a different variety, D. Kaki, grown in Japan and other temperate regions. 

 

One of my favorite cookbooks, now out of print, is Judith Fertig's Pure Prairie. Recipes for persimmon ice cream, cookies, and flans are included. Some varieties need to be fully ripe to be edible and delicious but other varieties can be eaten when firm and with the skin on. The pulp can be used like applesauce to add moisture and richness to baked goods. It can be preserved by freezing. Or, do like Indigenous people: dehydrate it and use to make fruit jerky, or mix with meat and berries. 

The nutritional and medicinal benefits of persimmons are legion. This document from the National Institute of Health documents the many benefits of persimmon leaves. Potassium, phosphorus, Vitamin C, antioxidants, fiber, anti-inflammatories...you name it, persimmon has it! Read more.

But, how easy are they to grow? Short answer: very easy. In fact, some people talk about them as if they were zucchini, setting out baskets of the fruit and imploring neighbors to take some. The large shrubs/small trees send out a deep tap root and are drought-tolerant once established. They thrive in regions with moderate winters. Treat them as you would peach trees. 

The Japanese really know how to appreciate persimmons. Check out this poem, "The Persimmon Tree in Winter." During the short three weeks in fall when the persimmons ripen there is a holiday festival atmosphere throughout the growing regions. Bands of people go from house to house with baskets and expandable poles with cutting blades on the end. Some varieties are hung in attics and dried. 

I'll leave you with a recipe for a persimmon appetizer: On a mini-baguette slice, arrange a spoonful of persimmon pulp with a smaller spoonful of creme fraiche. Scatter three pomegranate seeds and sprinkle a few fresh rosemary leaves over the top. Colorful, nutritious, and tasty.