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Post by Noriko on Nov 19, 2008 15:26:54 GMT -5
On the north east coast at least[1]. I've been looking forward to eating one since I've read about them as a period food but also, because I've never had one before. They were kind of pricey so I have just one sitting in the fridge, getting ready to ripen. It's a hachiya, which the internet says should be let to sit until squishy.
So, now that I have one, what the heck do I do with it? (:
[1]We may not have persimmons but we have.... um.... we gotta have something....
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Saionji Shonagon
New Member
One dreamed of becoming somebody. Another remained awake and became. (Found in a fortune cookie.)
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Post by Saionji Shonagon on Nov 19, 2008 16:56:52 GMT -5
Slice it in half, scoop out the seeds and eat the "meat" with a spoon. Don't bother trying to eat the skin, it's bitter.
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Post by takadainotora on Nov 19, 2008 21:03:39 GMT -5
The internet was quite right; let your hachiya kaki get soft and squishy, otherwise it will be bitter and astringent. You might like to sprinkle a little lemon juice on your persimmon after you cut it in half. If you don't eat the whole thing at once, wrap the leftover part in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. The meat is also good mixed with plain or lemon yogurt.
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Post by solveig on Nov 20, 2008 2:10:52 GMT -5
Noble Cousin!
Greetings from Solveig! The big concern is not eating the skin which is pretty tough anyway. You really don't have to wait for them to get squishy. You just don't want them to be rock hard. Don't worry about scooping out seeds and stuff. I don't recall ever bothering to do that. They won't hurt you anyway. There are interesting okashi recipes involving dried persimon, but those will appear in the stores somewhat later. Also, I really don't recall anything being sprinkled on them. Basically, you would just sit at your table with a fruit knife and carve them up and eat them. All of which reminds me, I have a couple of the things waiting in the fridge at the moment.
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Post by takadainotora on Nov 20, 2008 10:21:03 GMT -5
OK, I think we need a little clarification on the whole persimmon thing. Basically, there are two kinds of persimmons; astringent and non-astringent. The astringent ones are shaped like an inverted teardrop (taller than they are wide, rounded shoulders, pointed bottom) and have to get squishy-soft before you eat them. The commonest variety in North America is "Hachiya." The non-astringent persimmons can be eaten any time after they turn bright orange and taste best while they are still quite firm. They are smaller than the astringent variety and shaped like a tomato (flattened globe). The skins of non-astringent persimmons are a bit leathery, rather like some varieties of apple, but don't have a bitter taste and can be eaten. The commonest variety of non-astringent persimmon in North America is the "Fuyu." Astringent persimmons have tiny seeds; I don't usually pick them out, but I know a lot of people do. Non-astringent persimmons from the supermarket don't usually have seeds at all, if they do, they will have from 1-5 and they are large, probably about the size of cherry pits. If you have ever had persimmon cookies, they are made with astringent persimmons at the squishy stage. Why yes, I DO grow persimmons....
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Post by solveig on Nov 20, 2008 21:45:10 GMT -5
Noble Cousin!
Greetings from Solveig! The more or less standard Japanese persimmon is the "sweet persimmon" which is shaped sort of like a tomato. While the skin of the sweet persimmon can be eaten, I don't recommend it. Actually, in the two page spread on persimmons in my Japanese food dictionary, it shows pictures of several varieties. The iconic one and the first listed is the 甘柿 "sweet persimmon". While I have never grown persimmons, If I recall correctly, I once had a Japanese landlord who had a persimmon tree.
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Post by takadainotora on Nov 21, 2008 0:25:37 GMT -5
The only persimmons I saw in stores last year when I was in Japan were the sweet persimmons; that's the kind that I grow at my house also. Solveig-hime, why do you recommend against eating the persimmon peel?
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Post by solveig on Nov 22, 2008 0:18:29 GMT -5
Noble Cousin! Greetings from Solveig! why do you recommend against eating the persimmon peel? It's just sort of tough.
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Post by Noriko on Nov 24, 2008 21:33:13 GMT -5
Alright. So my persimmon was finally squishy enough for me to slice it open and eat it. It didn't taste like what I expected it to- it tasted a lot like a sweet potato with a mild mushy peach note. I think I was expecting something more fruity and acidic. I can see why people would put it in cookies though; it's a flavor I can see well paired with cardamom and cinnamon.
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Post by solveig on Nov 24, 2008 22:48:38 GMT -5
Noble Cousin! Greetings from Solveig! Alright. So my persimmon was finally squishy enough for me to slice it open and eat it. It didn't taste like what I expected it to- it tasted a lot like a sweet potato with a mild mushy peach note. I think I was expecting something more fruity and acidic. I can see why people would put it in cookies though; it's a flavor I can see well paired with cardamom and cinnamon. Which kind of persimmon did you eat? I think that the ones I eat are rather sweet and juicy. Incidentally, I strongly recommend roasting yams during the Winter. This is a very Japanese sort of thing, and they are very yummy. Just rinse them off, wrap them in foil so they don't make a mess all over your oven, and eat them when they are hot. They should be a bit gooey at at least one of the ends by the time that they are done. In Japan, traveling street vendors sell yams roasted in hot stones over a wood fire.
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Post by Noriko on Nov 24, 2008 23:35:41 GMT -5
Oh it was sweet and juicy- just not sweet in the way I perceive fruit to be; it was more candy/pome (apple, pear) sweet. I tend to prefer fruits that lean towards sour (citrus, hard red plums, slightly underripe peaches). I bet my mom would like it since she likes her fruit nice and squishy-sweet!
I'll have to try roasting a yam sometime. They have them at the supermarket (they're pretty big though so there's a whole dinner right there!)
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Post by Water_Tengu on Nov 24, 2008 23:40:24 GMT -5
Noble Cousin! Greetings from Solveig! Which kind of persimmon did you eat? I think that the ones I eat are rather sweet and juicy. Incidentally, I strongly recommend roasting yams during the Winter. This is a very Japanese sort of thing, and they are very yummy. Just rinse them off, wrap them in foil so they don't make a mess all over your oven, and eat them when they are hot. They should be a bit gooey at at least one of the ends by the time that they are done. In Japan, traveling street vendors sell yams roasted in hot stones over a wood fire. yams or sweet potatoes, there is a significant difference, but i don't want to try one and be sorely dissapointed.
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Post by takadainotora on Nov 25, 2008 23:07:17 GMT -5
Oh it was sweet and juicy- just not sweet in the way I perceive fruit to be; it was more candy/pome (apple, pear) sweet. That sounds like a ripe Hachiya (astringent, rather than "sweet" in the Japanese usage) persimmon. I think your description of the flavor is good; it's hard to characterize. You would probably like the other kind of persimmons better; they don't have that candy note to them.
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Post by solveig on Nov 26, 2008 1:05:58 GMT -5
Noble Cousin!
Greetings from Solveig! Try rummaging around in the yam bin. I prefer smaller, skinnier, and more gnarled yams than the big bulging mellon shaped things that american groceries seem to want you to buy.
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Post by takadainotora on Nov 26, 2008 9:27:52 GMT -5
Also, if you have any kind of Asian grocery store in your area, look there for yams; they will have more varieties.
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