Around the World in 40 Fruits – Volume 21 – By Dr. Marli Botha – Article 21 of 40
By Dr. Marli Botha
The persimmon, particularly the Japanese persimmon (kaki), is referred to as “the fruit of the gods” due to its association with the Greek genus Diospyros, which translates to “fruit of the gods”. Persimmons are a popular fruit in Japan and are also grown in other parts of the world.
Let’s peel back the layers of this radiant orange treasure – where patience, preservation, and purity come together!
- Biting into an unripe persimmon isn’t just a sour experience, it’s a numbing one! This is due to the tannins present in the fruit, which are astringent and can dry out your mouth in an instant.
- Despite their appearance, persimmons are morphologically classified as berries.
- The heartwood of the persimmon tree, which can take nearly a century to cultivate, is regarded as true ebony (aka Ceylon ebony).
- In Japan, the unripe persimmons are not wasted; they are fermented to create Kakishibu, a traditional natural dye.
- If you have some time on your hands, the traditional Japanese way to preserve persimmons, called hoshigaki, is to string them up and massage them daily for three to five weeks until soft and chewy. You can also make persimmon jelly.
