My diligence (and willingness to hose down perps) has paid off big time! I have twenty fuyu persimmons turning that beautiful burnished orange/rust. At what point are these rubies ready to harvest? Hachiya brown and turn mushy; fuyu's remain solid all the way through...
The Ranger
In my case, they seem to be ready just after they get eaten up by squirrels.
Bill
-- Fermez le Bush
We've been eating Izu Fuyus here for a couple of weeks. Fuyus will get soft if left long enough, it's just you can eat them hard with out having your face implode.
The wife has been peeling, slicing, and drying the hard ones into persimmon chips. She takes the soft ones and makes persimmon leather.
We lose a few to possums, rats, catbirds, and scrub jays.
Bill
That would be both the Mandarin and Honey oranges in my backyard, each loaded-to-breaking with fruit bearing fence-high limbs for that quick grab-and-nibble snacking urge the local blackies enjoy.
The Ranger
Cool! I'll harvest them today. The resident orbweaver'll be pleased; she'll have the tree all to herself once I'm done.
My only pests are Two-Legged Walkers. I've found one thing to deter them; direct confrontation. They're a cagey lot but I won this season's harvest.
The Ranger
My Fuyu is in the back yard. I haven't had anyone stupid enough to climb the fence and discuss dining arrangements with 'da boys' yet. Named Rusty and Kodiak. Boxer and Chow, respectively.
In the front I've got Moro Bloods, Satsama Owaris, Kara Karas, Lisbons, and Meiwas citrus and don't have a problem with Two Legged Walkers, probably because citrus is so common around here that they've already got it growing at home. OTOH, they've worried the neighbor's across the street plum so much she finally had it removed because she was afraid of getting sued if one of the little b*sturds fell out of it and did itself an injury. My suggestion was an inch and a half hose at
65 psi with a motion detctor, but she wasn't up for it.Bill
My DIL brought me about 15 pounds of persimmons last week. She said they are Japanese persimmons. I have never eaten one, much less try to make something from them. I like the idea of drying them.
They range in color from light green to orange and all are firm. All information and ideas appreciated.
I've been enjoying my bountiful harvest of Fuyus as: dessert toppings with French Vanilla Bean ice cream, raw (simply peeled and sliced up then eaten as is), and last night on a spinach salad with a mild orange vinagrette. The Hachiya are strictly reserved for my MIL who makes some of the BEST persimmon pudding!
The Ranger
Ripeness is paramount, otherwise they are unpalatable. To be ripe, a persimmon has to be soft to the touch. She picked them unripe because the racoons get them otherwise. Ripened on the counter they are only slightly inferior to the few that make it onto the tree.
I grew up with a tree in the yard, and I don't think you can top eating them raw with a spoon once they are fully ripe.
That is certainly not true of fuyus. Because of texture, that is why I do not use the soft ones even though they are sweeter.
Bill
-- Fermez le Bush
You need to know which kind of Japanese persimmon you have. Both should be orange. The flattened Fuyus are OK to eat firm. The acorn-shaped Hachiyas need to be as soft as a water balloon before you eat them. If you eat one before that, you will never forget it as long as you live. :) Freezing or drying will remove the astringency, though.
Dried whole Hachiya persimmons are wonderful--like dates, but with a persimmon flavor. Google "drying whole persimmons" and you will find plenty of info.
They are definitely Fuyu. I ate one this afternoon and it was sweet but still firm. I will probably slice and dehydrate most of them to use as a snack.
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