Persimmons 101 Fuyu vs Hachiya
No doubt youve probably noticed bins of what look like small orange tomatoes make a recent appearance in the produce aisle. These cuties are actually not tomatoes at all, but persimmons. And, lucky you, theyre in season. Theres hundreds of varieties of persimmon, but the two types youre most likely to encounter are Fuyu and Hachiya . You can recognize a Fuyu by its squat shape and flat bottom. The Hachiya, on the other hand, is slighty elongated and comes to a point at the bottom. While both are orange in color, they have very distinct tastes and textures. The Fuyu is firm, crunchy and mildly sweet. You can eat it just like an apple, skin and all. If you encounter a firm Hachiya – and you likely will because thats how theyre picked and shipped – do not bite into it ...unless of course, you want to pucker up and gag. The Hachiya is highly astringent until ripe. Best to take them home and place them upside down (point up) on a window sill to ripen. It may take up to a week, but your pa...