Persimmons
By Louis S. Luzzo, Sr.
I must admit that this is not a subject I thought I'd be writing about. While I am fascinated by these little beauties, I had never really been exposed to them until I met Elaine. After many applications, though I am still fascinated with them on a purely knowledge and foodie basis and I have had some presentations of the fruit I thought tasty, I still have not decided if I am a fan or not. So, I thought I'd dig a little more and the more I dug the more fascinated I became. This is a really unique fruit and I had no idea the popularity it receives from all corners of the globe. If you are hungry (no pun intended) for interesting and little known facts, you'll love our look at the Persimmon.
The flavor of the persimmons can best described as a cross between apricots, plums and pumpkins.They are native to Japan and China. Orange colored fruit ripens in fall and persists on the tree unless picked. There are two types of fruit, astringent and non-astringent. Astringent fruit needs to be picked when hard then left out to ripen. If you try to eat it straight off of the tree it is barely palatable. This process can be sped up by freezing the fruit for a day then thawing-out and eating. Non-astringent fruit can be eaten straight off of the tree while still hard, but their sweetness improves when left out a few days. Fruits of some of the selections have different characteristics when pollinated as opposed to when they are not.
Japanese persimmons, ‘Diospyros kaki,' were introduced into the United States from Japan by Admiral Perry who discovered the fruit growing on the coast of Southern Japan in 1851 when he opened Japan to the West in 1855 and he changed the persimmon scene forever. On his return to the United States, trees were planted in Washington, D.C.
Historically, most of the early Japanese persimmon introductions to the U.S. were sprouted from those seeds in Washington, DC, but they were unsuccessful, because of the unusually cold winters. Growing wild, it varied in quality from tree to tree. The settlers of Jamestown described persimmons as "very sweet and pleasant to the taste, and yields on distillation, after fermentation, a quality of spirits." When Captain John Smith was not busy with Pocahontas, he is quoted as saying, "If it be not ripe it will drawe a mans mouth awrie with much torment; but when it is ripe, it is as delicious as an Apricock."
Commercially, there are generally two types of persimmon fruit. The heart-shaped Hachiya is the most common variety of astringent persimmon. Astringent persimmons contain very high levels of soluble tannins and are unpalatable if eaten before softening. The non-astringent persimmon is squat like a tomato and is most commonly sold as fuyu. Non-astringent persimmons are not actually free of tannins as the term suggests, but rather are far less astringent before ripening, and lose more of their tannic quality sooner. Non-astringent persimmons may be consumed when still very firm to very very soft.
The color of the fruit varies from light yellow-orange to dark orange-red. The size can be as little as a few ounces to more than a pound. The entire fruit is edible except for the seed and calyx. Unharvested fruit remaining on the tree after leaf fall creates a very decorative effect. It is common for many 
immature fruit to drop from May to September.
Most of the world calls them kaki; they are caqui in Spanish, or Sharon fruit in Israel. In the United States, we call them persimmons after the Algonquin Indian name the Native American persimmon or Possum Persimmon. The genus name, Diospyros, means "food for the gods". Once you get to know persimmons, you will agree they are indeed food for the gods.
Varieties:
CALIFORNIA FUYU ('Oku Gosho') Medium, round with a slight point, orange to deep red-orange color, sporadic male blossoms, often seedy, non-astringent, firm-ripe.
CHOCOLATE ('Tsurunoko') Small reddish-orange, flesh is streaked with brown when cross pollinated, soft-ripe. This persimmon is pollination constant and non-astringent. They are medium sized, conical in shape. Chocolate brown flesh is juicy and flavorful. This self-fertile selection ripens in late October to November. Fruit grows in clusters of 3-4 fruits.
FUYU ('Fuyugaki') - They are oblate and flat. They have medium to large fruit. The skin color is deep orange to orange-red with four (4) shallow incised lines appearing on the sides. Flesh is light orange. Texture crisp to tender and juicy depending upon maturity. Originated in Shizuoka province, Japan about 1844. Introduced in the United States before 1918. Already being called ‘Fuyu’ by the 1920s. The leading variety in California and one of the principal varieties grown in Japan. The Fuyu makes up eighty percent of the world’s persimmon market. It is the less astringent persimmon, losing more of its tannin than the Hachiya before ripening. When purchasing, should be firm. Despite their hard, firm appearance they bruise easily, and should be handled carefully. Fuyu can be consumed while still firm, and may be stored for two to three weeks at room temperature before use. A few drops of lime enhances the Fuyu’s flavor.
GIANT FUYU ('Jumbu or Hana Fuyu') ('Gosho') - They have large to very large fruit. Reddish orange skin is deeper in color than a Fuyu. The flesh is good quality and very sweet. Tree tends to be an alternate bearer if fruit is left on tree too long in previous year. This self-fertile selection ripens in October to November. Tree needs approximately 200 hours of chilling.
HACHIYA - The fruit is large, oblong and acorn in shape with a glossy orange colored skin. Flesh is dark yellow, rich and very sweet once it is allowed to ripen. This fruit is most popular for baking and makes a handsome ornamental specimen. This self fertile selection ripens in November. Tree needs approximately 200 chilling hours.
HIYAKUME ('Ama Hiakume') - They have medium to large, roundish fruit with skin that is buff-yellow to orange and often has fine russet lines around the apex. When seeded, the flesh is a dark cinnamon color and considered the best in flavor. Unseeded they are yellow fleshed and astringent unless treated or allowed to ripen. Ripens mid-season. Needs pollinator and approximately 200 chill hours.
IZU - They have medium sized fruit with a deep orange color. The fine textured flesh is very soft and juicy and has been noted to have the best flavor of all selections. This self-fertile variety ripens from late September to early October and is earlier than most non-astringent varieties.
JIRO - Very similar and often confused with fuyu, squarish and truncated, pale orange to deep red-orange color, non-astringent, firm-ripe.
MARU - An excellent pollinator with medium sized fruit and bright orange-red skin. The flesh is dark cinnamon when seeded, sweet and rich. Unseeded fruits are yellow fleshed and astringent unless treated.
MATSUMOTO WASE- They have medium sized fruit and are slightly rounded with reddish-orange skin. Flesh is yellow in color with sweet taste. This self-fertile selection ripens in early October, two weeks earlier than the California Fuyu.
MEAKAWA JIRO - They have medium to large fruit and deep orange color. Flesh is orange with good flavor. The tree is self-fertile but where reliable production is desired a pollinizer must be used.
NISHIMURA WASE - They have medium size fruit and are bright orange in color. They are slightly conical in shape. The flesh is orange in color with a very deep, sweet taste. Use ‘Fuyu’ as a pollinator. Ripens in early October .
SURUGA - They have medium sized fruit with orange colored skin. The flesh is firm, sweet and orange. Eats crunchy like an apple. Self fertile selection. Matures in late October to early November.
TAMOPAN - They have large to very large fruit and acorn shaped fruit with an expanded base. It has light orange skin and light orange flesh with sweet and rich flavor. This self-fertile selection ripens in late October to early November. Foliage of this tree has the best fall color of any Diospyros cultivar.
TANENASHI - It has medium to large conical fruit and a slightly rounded apex with light orange colored skin. The flesh is yellow and very sweet when ripe. Ripens October.
Suggestions
The edible skins tend to be tough. Remove the skins with a potato peeler or sharp thin knife. Or, blanch fruit in boiling water 2 to 3 minutes then dip them in cold water, as you would to peel a tomato. Slip off the skins when the fruit is cool enough to touch. Leave the skins intact if you intend to bake the entire fruit. Eventually, firm-ripe persimmons will become soft like the soft-ripe persimmons and are useable in any recipe calling for Persimmon pulp.
Firm-ripe Persimmons can be dried when they are fully colored orange. Soft-ripe Persimmons must be dried when they are fully colored orange yet still hard and astringent. The drying process sweetens the Persimmons to chewy pieces of near candy.