PERSIMMONS – THE FALL FRUIT

Hachiya Persimmons are the best variety to
cook up cookies, cakes, pies and
even sorbets

As Summer makes her exit for another year, Fall ushers in an array of harvest fruits and veggies we all look forward to eating.  Persimmons are an unusual, but delicious fruit whose harvest season is relatively short – September through Late October/Mid-November.  There are a few varieties, but the Hachiya (“Hi-CHEE-ah”) is the most popular and delicious. You cannot eat the skin (very bitter), and this delicious fruit is best used in cooking puddings, cookies, cakes, pies or even as a sorbet.

Persimmon Cookies are a muffin-like
spiced cookie that has a unique
delicious flavor all its own

The fruit should be completely orange (no green or yellow spots) for maximum ripe goodness. While most fruits get somewhat damaged when frozen, the Hachiya Persimmon cooks up best after a freeze. It’s a great way to store this fruit for year round use should you be lucky enough to have a prolific tree.  You can either freeze whole with the skin, then remove skin and seeds before use, or I prefer to remove skins and seeds, then place pulp in freezer Ziploc baggie for use whenever the mood strikes me for some great Persimmon Cookies.  [See Persimmon Cookie Recipe for a delicious muffin-like cookie that has a great unique spiced flavor all its own.  Enjoy the Fall and Harvest Season!

TIP: Decorate your outdoor patio or backyard with holiday decors and host a Cookie Party.  It’s a great way to get a variety of cookies for all neighbors to share and make celebrating the holidays fun and full of variety!

Source: CaliforniaBountiful.com – Sept/October 2012 Magazine