Persimmons and what they are good for

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Persimmons and what they are good for

December 5th, 2021

Awake Goy

It’s too bad Americans aren’t more familiar with persimmons, since its botanical name means “food of the gods.”¹ Highly adaptable to various climate conditions,² those found in larger grocery stores are most likely Japanese persimmons. Persimmon is Japan’s national fruit,³ although it’s said to be native to China⁴ (American persimmons are mostly ornamental).

Persimmon seeds first came to the United States when commodore Matthew Perry sent them from Japan in 1856. Today, persimmons are grown in a plethora of varieties in China, Burma, Northern India and Australia. In the U.S., it grows in Southern and Southwestern states, predominantly California.⁵

Persimmons are red-brown or orange fruits that grow on trees like plums and look like a small, rather flat tomato capped by a calyx.⁶ The two varieties are astringent and nonastringent, the latter being pleasingly sweet. To avoid bitterness, the paler varieties should be eaten only when very ripe, usually peeled.⁷