Persimmon-phobia Therapy needed

[radshop]

As a youngster I was given a piece of fruit and told, "It's a persimmon. You'll like it." I didn't. So I've avoided them all my life. Until now. A neighbor gave me a half dozen persimmons, so I forced a smile and said Thanks. But I feel like one bad experience when I was a kid shouldn't be limiting my life! I'm ready to overcome! I can do this!

OK - first part is serious, then I got carried away. Point is...

What should I do with these persimmons? Just eat them raw? Cook something with them? Feed them to the chickens? I'm up for whatever, I just honestly have no idea what folks do with persimmons. They grow like gangbusters around here, so I ought to learn to like them. I like a lot of things I wouldn't eat as a kid, so just give me a nudge in the right direction.

EDIT: I took the plunge and lived to tell. Wouldn't say it's my favorite fruit, but not bad. I think it might be great in mixed berries with whipped cream. I'll give that a shot once I get some fresh berries.

[Oakgrovebacon]

Lots of native or wild ones in my woods. Always takes a hard frost or freeze to make them good. In my experience, the skin on them is bitter. Get rid of it and very sweet and tasty fruit. My wife made persimmon muffins this fall and they were delicious. She googled a recipe.

[radshop]

That makes sense - when I was a kid I took a bite with the skin. Must be why it was bitter.

[texastweeter]

We harvest wild ones. Jelly/jam is one of our favorite ways to use them. They make a great ice cream or cobbler too. I like them diced and in hot oatmeal as well.

[MsTwiggy]

Are they Fuyu or Hachiya. My experience is limited to eating the Hachiya with a spoon or dried fuyu persimmons that I find at Trader Joes. They are an astringent fruit and that could be a contributing factor in your memory of not loving them. The fuyu are flatter while the Hachiya are taller sometimes almost pyramidal. texastweeter suggestions sounded pretty good to me!! 🔥🔥🐿️

[radshop]

I'm not sure but I think fuyu.

[Michael_in_TX]

She googled a recipe.

I had to google 'persimmon.'

[Wedunne]

Fuyus (the flatter ones, as Ms. Twiggy noted), can be sliced and eaten like an apple right off the tree. Hachiyas, the more acorn shaped ones, are more astringent, and generally used for baking (such as persimmon cookies), although they can be frozen and eaten without baking.

[MsTwiggy]

That is the perfect description that I was looking for “acorn” shaped!!!🔥🔥🐿️

[Wedunne]

“What kind of persimmon is this?”

“Hachiya”

”Gesundheit!”