What Is a Persimmon? 6 Ways to Enjoy Persimmons at Home

The persimmon is an edible fruit from the Diospyros genus. Persimmons have a shiny, taut skin that ranges from marigold yellow to deep orange in color, and soft, jammy (or starchy) interiors, with or without seeds.

While originally native to China, early persimmon trees were also cultivated in Japan, and arrived in North America and Southern Europe sometime in the 1800s. The Algonquian tribes of the eastern United States gave persimmons its modern-day name. “Persimmon” is derived from the Powhatan words putchamin, pasiminan, or pessamin, meaning “dry fruit.”

These are the most commonly cultivated persimmons varieties in the United States:

• Asian persimmons (Diospyros kaki): The most commonly cultivated persimmons across the United States are the Fuyu and Hachiya varieties of Asian persimmons.
  
• American persimmons (Diospyros virginiana): The American persimmon is usually cultivated in the eastern United States cultivation. American persimmons are richer and smaller in size than Asian persimmons.
• Lotus persimmons (Diospyros lotus): The lotus persimmon is native to southwest Asia and southern Europe, and also goes by the name “date-plum,” due to its taste.

Persimmons also fall into two categories: non-astringent, and astringent. The squat, tomato-shaped Fuyu is the most common non-astringent variety, and the acorn-shaped Hachiya is a well-known astringent variety.

Ripened persimmons have a unique flavor that lies somewhere between an apricot, a date, and a sweet tomato. Persimmons take on a more honeyed character as the fruit ripens.

The sensation of biting into an unripe persimmon is an unpleasant one. The fruit’s astringency is due to high levels of tannins, which mellows out as the persimmon ripens or cooks.

A ripe Fuyu will feel similar to a ripe plum or peach, while a Hachiya will feel like a very ripe tomato or a water balloon. To accelerate the ripening process, place the persimmons in a paper bag at room temperature with apples or pears, which give off ethylene gas while ripening and help persimmons ripen. To test your Fuyu persimmon for ripeness, press gently on the skin, which has just a slight give when the fruit is ripe.

Fuyu persimmons are ripe and can be eaten while the skin is still firm with a little give. Hachiya persimmons must be softened, cooked, or dried first.

Persimmon skin is edible, so there’s no need to peel the skin off prior to preparation. Simply slice off the dried leaves on top, and enjoy.

Persimmon is a flexible ingredient that can add flavor to salads, baked goods, desserts, and fruit and cheese platters.

• Add to salad. Slice ripe Fuyu persimmons into a salad of bitter greens like radicchio or cress. The sweetness of the Fuyu will round out the flavor of the salad.
• Eat dried persimmons as a snack. Hoshigaki (Japanese dried persimmons) are a popular snack in East Asia. These tender, caramelized dried Hachiya persimmons are packed with rich flavor and sweetness, and make a great high-fiber snack.
  
• Add to fruit and cheese platters. Pair Fuyu persimmons, or slices of dried Hachiya hoshigaki, with aged cheeses and roasted nuts for your next fruit and cheese platter.
• Make a pudding. Persimmon pudding, a steamed pudding in the English tradition, is especially popular in the American Midwest.
• Add to baked goods. The flavor of persimmons is a perfect match for warm baking spices like allspice, cinnamon, and cloves: Diced or puree ripe fruit and swirl into batter for muffins or quick breads.
• Use as a dessert topping. Top ice cream with chopped or stewed persimmons.

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