What is a persimmon? (Part 1 of 3)

Persimmon is a fruit (a berry specifically) that grows on a variety of trees in the genus Diospyros. The most widely cultivated persimmon among these is the Diospyros kaki or the Asian persimmon.

Persimmons range from light yellow to dark red-orange when ripe. They differ in size and shape, too. Persimmons can be as small as three-fourths of an inch in diameter to as large as three and a half inches in diameter. Some of them are rounded, while others are heart- or pumpkin-shaped.

There are mainly two main types of Asian persimmons: Fuyu and Hachiya. Hachiya persimmons are pale, heart or acorn-shaped, and astringent (slightly acidic or bitter). Astringent persimmons contain high levels of soluble tannins. While Fuyu persimmons are shaped like tomatoes. Persimmons can usually be bought from October through February.

1. https://www.myrecipes.com/how-to/cooking-questions/what-is-persimmon