We thought it’d be fun to introduce you to a wonderful fall fruit – the persimmon!  Persimmons are available September through December, with a peak during November.

Storage and handling: If not fully ripe, keep persimmons at room temperature until ripe.  You can ripen them at room temperature in a paper bag with an apple or banana if you’d like.  Then eat them right away or refrigerate.  The key is to make sure the persimmons ripen well, or else they will taste very bitter.  Be sure to eat the fruit as soon as possible because overripe persimmons quickly turn to a mushy texture.

Preparation: Wash gently, then cut in half. Cut out the core and discard the seeds. To make pulp, scoop out the flesh with a spoon, discard skins, and purée pulp or mash with a fork. Pulp freezes well.

Serving suggestions: Dice or slice firm-ripe persimmons and add to fruit or vegetable salads. A soft-ripe persimmon is like a thin skin full of thick jelly. Use in smoothies or make a pudding. Substitute persimmon pulp for zucchini in quick breads or cookies.

Or try this simple salad…

Persimmon and Apple Salad

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp walnut pieces, toasted
2 Tbsp fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp sherry vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 sweet variety apples, rinsed, cored, and thinly sliced lengthwise
3 firm-ripe persimmons, rinsed, stemmed, and thinly sliced lengthwise

Directions:

In a bowl, combine orange juice, vinegar, and olive oil. Add apples, persimmons, and toasted walnuts and mix to coat.