Why persimmons are cherished for their versatility and distinct varieties
Food writer Sonoko Sakai, chef Christine Wong and YouTuber Emily Kim, aka Maangchi, have all written cookbooks featuring the distinctive and exotic fruit
Japanese-American cooking teacher and food writer Sonoko Sakai loves everything about persimmons, from admiring their appearance to eating them.
“Traditionally in Japan, people would plant a persimmon tree to bring good luck. But unfortunately, people live in these high-rises now and they don’t plant trees any more in the cities,” she says, speaking to Style by video call from California.
“But if you go to the countryside, it’s so beautiful to see persimmons. In the fall, the leaves turn red and then fall. It gives you the sense of seasons. And when you see the persimmon, it is fiery red. That crimson colour is just so beautiful.”
Although persimmons are grown in Japan, they are actually a native fruit of China. Persimmons are also cultivated in Korea, Spain, Brazil and the US, mostly in California.
When the fruits ripen in the autumn, their sweet flesh has notes of honey or apricot, and the texture ranges from crisp to jellylike, depending on the variety. The two most common ones are Fuyu – which look like mini pumpkins, squat and round, with firm flesh – and Hachiya, which are acorn-shaped and need to fully ripen to develop their pleasing, pulpy texture.
As Sakai notes, there are many other varieties besides – such as Tsurunoko, also known as “chocolate persimmons” for their sweet, dark-brown flesh; Hyakume, very juicy and with golden skin; and Maru, with a crisp texture, and notes of coffee and cinnamon.
Chef Christine Wong of the website Conscious Cooking can’t resist Fuyu. “I don’t have the patience to wait for Hachiya to ripen,” she says with a laugh. “I love their sweet perfumed taste, but it’s the texture of the fruit that is the most satisfying – best when they are slightly soft and juicy, with the subtle, crunchy bite of the core,” explains the author of the vegan cookbook The Vibrant Hong Kong Table.
Fuyu persimmons can be eaten with or without the firm skin, while that of Hachiyas should be peeled off because it is too astringent. When Wong manages to hold off consuming the fruit raw, she makes persimmon jam and chutney.