How to Eat Dry Persimmons

Persimmons may be eaten fresh or dried.

With November and December as peak months, persimmons are in season in the United States from October to February. The fruit is orange when fully ripe and similar in shape and outer texture to some tomato varieties but is not related. Fuyu persimmons are the most common variety stateside, but the Japanese Hachiya are sometimes available as well. Persimmons may be enjoyed fresh or dried -- there are no rules on how to eat them, so branch out and experiment.

Instructions

1. Cut dried persimmon into dime-size pieces and add to trail mix or combine with an assortment of nuts and other dried fruit, like raisins and cranberries, to make your own trail mix.

2. Add dried persimmon to dinner recipes to bring sweetness to the dish. Dried persimmon is used with shrimp and pork in Chinese cooking. Experiment with your own tastes and favorite dishes.

3. Brew black, green and white tea blends with dried persimmon. Cut it into smaller pieces or leave whole and add to loose-leaf tea blends, then add hot water and steep as usual.

4. Shave persimmon over vanilla ice cream or pudding. Cut it into raisin-size pieces and add to bread or rice pudding as you would raisins. Smear dried persimmon with a teaspoon of mascarpone cheese and drizzle a bit of honey over the top to create a new dessert.

References

• Council for Hakka Affairs:Dried Persimmons with Pork and Shrimp Stuffing
• She Knows: Persimmon facts and recipes