FUYU PERSIMMON: Divine Fruit

       FUYU PERSIMMON: Divine Fruit

 I discovered these fruits in Farmers market last month and have been hooked on them since. They are extremely delicious!

The Fuyu persimmon is native to Japan. The biological genus this plant belongs to is “Diospyros”, which means “fruit of the Gods.”

There are hundreds of varieties of persimmons, with only about 2 that are easily available commercially – the fuyu and the hachiya

The ripe fruit have high glucose content. The protein content is low, but such as it is, it has a balanced protein profile.

The fuyu persimmon is a orange fruit that is firm, crispy and delicately sweet when not fully ripe. When fully ripe, flesh becomes darker, jelly-like and astonishingly sweet.

Well it is hard to narrate to you the “sweet” taste; this “sweet”is honestly like nothing I have ever tasted before. It is not an overwhelming kind of sweet, but exceptional, honey and deliciously rich type of sweet.

It is not an easy fruit to find in all stores or even in all areas across North America. The reason for this is that the fruit is grown and harvested in typically warmer climates and hence has to be imported.

I recommend eating the fuyu raw. I can’t imagine altering that amazingly delicious taste with any kind of heat, although the fruit is eaten cooked in some dishes.It is also a great addition to any fruit or even vegetable salad just remove skin as it is tougher than some peels.

The fuyu’s will ripen on their own at room temperature over a period of several days. They are not a fast ripening fruit like strawberries . Hence an unripe fruits can last weeks. However, once ripe they do not keep well and thus should be eaten quickly. Refrigeration is not necessary and may actually ruin the fruit.

So the next time you are at your local supermarket, take a good look around the produce section.