Everything about Persimmon totally explained
» This article refers to the edible fruit. For the British construction company, see Persimmon plc; for the racehorse, see Persimmon (horse).
A
persimmon is the edible
fruit of a number of species of trees of the genus
Diospyros in the ebony wood family (
Ebenaceae). The word
persimmon is derived from
putchamin,
pasiminan, or
pessamin, from
Powhatan, an
Algonquian language (related to
Blackfoot,
Cree and
Mohican) of the
eastern United States, meaning "a dry fruit". Persimmons are generally light
yellow-orange to dark
red-orange in color, and depending on the species, vary in size from 1.5-9 cm (0.5-4 in) diameter, and may be spherical, acorn-, or pumpkin-shaped. The
calyx often remains attached to the fruit after harvesting, but becomes easier to remove as it ripens. They are high in
glucose, with a balanced
protein profile, and possess various medicinal and chemical uses.
Species
The most widely cultivated species is the Japanese (
Diospyros kaki), called "shizi" (柿子) in Chinese. These are sweet, slightly tart fruits with a soft to occasionally fibrous texture. This species, native to
China, is
deciduous, with broad, stiff leaves. Cultivation of the fruit extended first to other parts of east
Asia, and was later introduced to
California and southern
Europe in the
1800s, and numerous
cultivars have been selected. It is edible in its crisp firm state, but has its best flavor when allowed to rest and soften slightly after harvest. The Japanese cultivar 'Hachiya' is a widely grown cultivar. The fruit has a high
tannin content which makes the immature fruit astringent and bitter. The tannin levels are reduced as the fruit matures. Persimmons like 'Hachiya' must be completely ripened before consumption. When ripe, this fruit comprises thick pulpy jelly encased in a waxy thin skinned shell. "
Sharon Fruit" (named originally after
Sharon plain in
Israel) is the
trade name for
D. kaki fruit that has been artificially ripened with chemicals.
The
American persimmon (
Diospyros virginiana) is native to the eastern
United States.
The
Black persimmon or
Black sapote (
Diospyros digyna) is native to
Mexico. Its fruit has green skin and white flesh, which turns black when ripe.
The
Mabolo or
Velvet-apple (
Diospyros discolor) is native to the
Philippines. It is bright red when ripe.
The
Date-plum (
Diospyros lotus) is native to southwest
Asia and southeast
Europe. It was known to the ancient
Greeks as "the fruit of the Gods", for example
Dios pyros (lit. "the wheat of Zeus"), hence the scientific name of the genus. Its
English name probably derives from
Persian Khormaloo خرمالو literally "Date-Plum", referring to the taste of this fruit which is a reminiscent of both
plums and
dates. This species is mentioned in
the Odyssey; it was so delicious that those who ate it forgot about returning home and wanted to stay and eat lotus with the lotus-eaters.
There are many other species of persimmon that are inedible to humans, and thus have little or no commercial value for their fruit.
Fruit
Commercially, there are generally two types of persimmon fruit:
astringent and non-astringent.
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 astringency of tannins is removed through ripening by exposure to light over several days, or artificially with chemicals such as
alcohol and
carbon dioxide which change tannin into the insoluble form. This
bletting process is sometimes jumpstarted by exposing the fruit to cold or frost which hastens cellular wall breakdown. These astringent persimmons can also be prepared for commercial purposes by drying.
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.
There is a third type, less commonly available, the pollination-variant non-astringent persimmons. When fully pollinated, the flesh of these fruit is brown inside -known as goma in Japan, and the fruit can be eaten firm. These varieties are highly sought after and can be found at specialty markets or farmers markets only. Tsurunoko, sold as "Chocolate persimmon" for its dark brown flesh, Maru, sold as "Cinnamon persimmon" for its spicy flavor, and Hyakume, sold as "Brown sugar" are the three best known.
Culinary uses
Persimmons are eaten fresh or dried,
raw or cooked. When eaten fresh the peel is usually cut/peeled off and the fruit is often cut into quarters or eaten whole like an apple. The flesh ranges from firm to mushy and the texture is unique. The flesh is very sweet and when firm possesses an apple-like crunch.
In
China,
Korea,
Japan, and
Vietnam after harvesting, 'Hachiya' persimmons are prepared using traditional hand-drying techniques, outdoors for two to three weeks. The fruit is then further dried by exposure to heat over several days before being shipped to market. In Japan the
dried fruit is called
hoshigaki, IN China it's known as "shi-bing" (柿饼)in Korea it's known as
gotgam (hangul: 곶감), and in Vietnam it's called
hồng khô. It is eaten as a snack or dessert and used for other culinary purposes. In Korea, dried persimmon fruits are used to make the traditional Korean spicy
punch,
sujeonggwa, while the matured, fermented fruit is used to make a
persimmon vinegar called
gamsik cho (감식초), which is believed to have a wide variety of holistic properties. The
hoshigaki tradition traveled to California with
Japanese American immigrants. A few farms still practice the art, which is being revived in part through the efforts of
Slow Food USA, which describes the technique on its site and provides links to producers.
In some areas of
Manchuria and Korea, the dried leaves of the fruit are used for making
tea. The Korean name for this tea is
ghamnip cha (감잎차).
The persimmon also figures prominently in American culinary tradition. It can be used in cookies, cakes, puddings, salads and as a topping for breakfast cereal.
Persimmon pudding is a dessert using fresh persimmons. An annual persimmon festival, featuring a persimmon pudding contest, is held every September in
Mitchell, Indiana. Persimmon pudding is a baked pudding that has the consistency of
pumpkin pie but resembles a
brownie and is almost always topped with
whipped cream. Persimmons may be stored at room temperature (20°C) where that'll continue to ripen. It is also a native plant in Brazil, South America, where it's referred to as the Caqui.
Ethnomedical uses
In traditional Chinese medicine the fruit regulates ch'i
The raw fruit is used to treat constipation and hemorrhoids, and to stop bleeding. As such, it isn't a good idea to consume too many persimmons at once- they can induce diarrhea.
The cooked fruit is used to treat diarrhea and dysentery
Phytonutrients
The fruits of some persimmon varieties contain the tannins catechin and gallocatechin, as well as the anti-tumor compounds betulinic acid and shibuol, although the latter may also cause gastrointestinal problems.
Medical precaution
Unripened persimmons contain the soluble tannin shibuol, which, upon contact with a weak acid, polymerizes in the stomach and forms a gluey coagulum that can affix with other stomach matter. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy notes that consumption of persimmons has been known to cause bezoars that require surgery in over 90% of cases. Persimmon bezoars often occur in epidemics in regions where the fruit is grown. Horses may develop a taste for the fruit growing on a tree in their pasture and overindulge also, making them quite ill.
Wood
Though persimmon trees belong to the same genus as ebony trees, persimmon tree wood has a limited use in the manufacture of objects requiring hard wood. Persimmon wood is used for paneling in traditional Korean and Japanese furniture.
In North America, the lightly colored, fine-grained wood of D. virginiana is used to manufacture billiard cues and shuttles (used in the textile industry). Persimmon wood was also heavily used in making the highest-quality heads of the golf clubs known as "woods," until the golf industry moved primarily to metal woods in the last years of the 20th century. Persimmon woods are still made, but in far lower numbers than in past decades. Over the last few decades persimmon wood has become popular among bow craftsmen, especially in the making of traditional longbows.
Like some other plants of the genus Diospyros, older persimmon heartwood is black or dark brown in color, in stark contrast to the sapwood and younger heartwood, which is pale in color.
Gallery
Image:Persimmon Garden.jpg|Persimmon orchard northern, Japan.
Image:Hachiya persimmons on tree close-up.jpg|Hachiya persimmons in December
Further Information
Get more info on 'Persimmon'.
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