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Posts Tagged: persimmons
Getting to know persimmons
![Hachiya persimmons on tree in winter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hachiya_persimmons_on_tree_close-up.jpg](http://ucanr.org/blogs/food/blogfiles/5892.jpg)
On a wet and gloomy winter afternoon, there are few sights more cheering to my eyes than a persimmon tree loaded with its brilliant fruit, hanging from dark boughs like a mass of orange lanterns. But if you come across this bright spectacle on a winter's walk, don't rush to take a bite of that tempting fruit unless you're sure you know what's what.
See, there are persimmons, and then there are persimmons.
![Fuyu persimmons http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Threekakifruit-cutopen.jpg](http://ucanr.org/blogs/food/blogfiles/5891.jpg)
The type of persimmon that you can eat right off the tree is the Fuyu variety (left), a firm-fleshed, yellow- to orange-skinned fruit that is flat on the bottom and wider than it is tall—sometimes twice as wide. You can eat the fresh, sweet fruit like an apple or cut up in salads or you can dry it on the stem or cut in slices for a home dehydrator.
![Hachiya persimmons asdf](http://ucanr.org/blogs/food/blogfiles/5893.jpg)
Aunt Pat's Persimmon Cookies
This recipe for Hachiya persimmon cookies has been in my family for generations and is always a special treat in the cold months. The cookies have a moist, cake-like consistency and can be eaten fresh or bagged up by the dozen and stored in the freezer. They're quick to thaw and they taste great. We usually make a double or triple batch just to take advantage of the fruit's availability, so cookie storage can be an issue.
CREAM TOGETHER:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
LIGHTLY BEAT AND ADD:
1 egg
ADD:
1 cup Hachiya persimmon pulp (about 3 ripe [very soft] persimmons)
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
SIFT TOGETHER AND THEN ADD:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Drop the dough in generously rounded teaspoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a pre-heated 350° oven for 12 to 14 minutes.
More on Persimmons
Check out these links for more information on preserving, preparing, and growing persimmons:
- Persimmon Time (San Joaquin County Cooperative Extension)
- The California Backyard Orchard
(Photos: Wikimedia Commons)