Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
anntn6b

Persimmons

anntn6b
15 years ago

It looks to be a huge crop of persimmons this year.

Does anyone have links to recipe sites, maybe even persimmon wine? brandy? leather?

Comments (22)

  • madmouser
    15 years ago

    I'll trade you a wonderful persimmon pudding recipe for some of your persimmons!
    I love persimmons but they've been too expensive.
    The pudding is an old family recipe, sort of like a soft plum pudding with lemon sauce.
    When can I come pick some? I'm in Knoxville.
    Got some stained glass I could trade for some and some begonia cuttings.

  • anntn6b
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I'm north east of Knoxville and they aren't falling yet. But a near neighbor has a tree that probably has a ton on it. And I think some of ours are heavily loaded as well.

  • bigorangevol
    15 years ago

    Watch out for the bears!

  • Amazindirt (7a TN)
    15 years ago

    I want some persimmon pudding!

    Somebody freeze some of those persimmons for me!

  • madmouser
    15 years ago

    Persimmons ready for picking yet?

  • anntn6b
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    All the trees are holding onto their persimmons dearly. But I am watching closely.
    The 0.8" of rain we had this week just is starting to show in the limbs looking even more weighted down on the two trees that are heavily laden.

  • Jan_Hobbs
    15 years ago

    Here is a website with persimmon recipes.

    allrecipes.com/Recipes/Fruits-and-Vegetables/Fruits/Persimmons/Main.aspx -

    Does anyone know if you can freeze the pulp? My grandma used to make persimmon cookies, but I didn't get the recipe. Wish I had, now.

  • Jan_Hobbs
    15 years ago

    I googled persimmons and you can freeze them whole, or the pulp by adding Fruit Fresh to the pulp.

  • madmouser
    15 years ago

    They freeze beautifully. I've done it many times.

  • madmouser
    15 years ago

    Are those persimmons ripe yet? I'd love to get some.
    Found some recipes for persimmon chutney I'd like to try.

  • anntn6b
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    The two heavily laden trees are still holding on. Our morning fogs have protected them.
    I think tonight (Tues.) will find that not even fog will keep them from freezing.

  • rockguy
    15 years ago

    Freezing on the tree doesn't hurt persimmons, but makes them sweeter.

  • madmouser
    15 years ago

    I'm still hoping to get some persimmons. How are they doing?

  • gregziglar_yahoo_com
    15 years ago

    ALL persimmons are best when they have turned "soft", the natural enzymes cause a conversion of the starches and tannins into sugars and more compatible flavors.
    The ripening process can be accelerated a couple ways, the easiest for me has been to slightly bruise the fruit, run your finger over the surface from the stem end to the pointed end. Another way is to almost freeze or freeze just the surface this will bring on the enzymes after the fruit thaws out.
    Remember, one unripe persimmon will ruin the taste of 100 ripe, be sure or be sorry.
    The way I keep my persimmons is to wash after picking, (to remove dust and bird debris)wait for them to turn soft, then remove the stem/leaves and freeze them. I collect them until I have enough to make what ever the project maybe. I have made cookies breads, leathers, dried slices, wine and other drink-ables, all the information on how to make anything may be found with on line searching.

  • lucky_p
    15 years ago

    Ah, but gregory, eating a ripe persimmon is the only thing that will reliably remove the astringency of an unripe persimmon which, as John Smith wrote nearly 400 years ago, "will draw a man's mouth awrie with much torment".

  • babydoe
    15 years ago

    Hi Everyone, haven't posted for at least a year. I am a transplant from Lebanon, Ohio to Hawkins Co. Yes, persimmons are everywhere. There are two huge trees at the edge of our pasture. The trees are loaded and don't seem to be falling. Should I still just wait or try to go up and pick?

    I have not been able to make it to the swaps but hopefully next year. I fell in July and broke hip and despite my best efforts to give away garden veggies, a lot went to waste. Have any of you had any luck sprouting persimmon seeds?

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    15 years ago

    I'm not sure about if/when to pick the ones still on the tree. I think I'd shake the tree and see what happened.

    So far as sprouting seeds, I get nearly 100% germination by simply cleaning them well and sticking them in the ground where I want them to grow in the Fall. Because of their massive tap roots, it's much easier to plant them in place instead of trying to transplant them. In some situations, varmint protection might be advisable.

    If you want to grow some for eating, you might consider a cultivar for better quantity, quality, and taste. Most of the Diospyros virginiana cultivars will be of the 90-chromosome race. If you get a cultivar, you will want to take that into consideration for choosing a pollinator.

  • babydoe
    15 years ago

    Thanks Brandon, I have been planting in place. One website that I found stated that the seed should not be allowed to dry out. Do you know if that is true? The deer and turkey do seem to get a lot of the seed. As finances allow, I will be trying a cultivar.

  • babydoe
    15 years ago

    Oops, nearly forgot!! I wanted to tell Jan Hobbs that I have a good cookie recipe that came from my 81 year old best friend's mother. Anyone who wants it can e mail me at pgilbert@charter.net The e mail address on my page is wrong and I am trying to get this wonderful #@$%&* edit page to accept my changes.

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    15 years ago

    Babydoe, most seed types are relatively clearly either recalcitrant or orthodox; Persimmon seeds are one of the exceptions. Diospyros seeds are technically considered orthodox but show some recalcitrant characteristics. In other words, Persimmon seeds can be germinated even after they dry out, but are easier to germinate if kept from drying out. Persimmon seed appear to go more deeply dormant if allowed to dry out, so the best way to store these seeds is in a moist (not wet) medium (peat, choir, sand, etc.) in the refrigerator.

    If you get a cultivar, get 2 different cultivars that have the same ploidy (number of chromosomes).

    If you are having problems getting your memberpage to accept changes, it might be your browser. I couldn't successfully edit my memberpage with Firefox. Everything else on this site works great with Firefox, but I had to use Internet Explorer to edit my memberpage and get the changes to save.

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    15 years ago

    In the post above, I wrote, "If you get a cultivar, get 2 different cultivars that have the same ploidy (number of chromosomes)." As usual, my brain cells weren't cooperating with each other. It was bad advice for a couple of reasons. First, the only reason you would have to have 2 different cultivars of the same race (number of chromosomes) is if you wanted viable seed. Most growers want good fruit, not viable seed. Secondly, American persimmons are normally dioecious (either male or female). You would need a male and a female (not just two different cultivars) of the same race to produce viable seed.

    Wild Diospyros virginiana around here have 60 chromosomes. D virginiana in northern states are the 90-chromosome type, and are generally larger fruiting, better tasting, and more productive. Most commercially available cultivars are from the 90-chromosome race. Another race/variety is D virginiana var mosieri, which has only 30 chromosomes. When a 90-chromosome cultivar is planted without a 90-chromosome pollinator but within pollination range of wild 60-chromosome pollinators, the seeds often abort and the fruit can be seedless or have few seeds. This would be ideal for best fruit production with fewer seeds.

  • plantfreek
    10 years ago

    Can anyone tell me why the Foley Food mill recommends removing the spring when processing hard fruits with seeds. Also looking for persimmon canning recipes. Have a lot frozen, want to put some up in jars to save freeze space for venison. Tx. Also is there anyway of finding out what variety of wild persimmon I've been picking. And lastly, does anyone heat their persimmons up before they process the seeds out? Thanks in advance.

Sponsored
Custom Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures Solutions in Loudoun County