persimmon season

So I'll just come right out and say it: I am a persimmon junkie. 

I cannot get enough of the intoxicating things.  Only problem is - my drug of choice isn't exactly readily available.  I can only get these golden jewels come this time of year. 

But oh come they do:

This past Saturday marked my first trip to the Farmer's Market during official persimmon season.  Sure, I had snagged a $3 imported persimmon from the supermarket here or there, but I hadn't been able to get my full fix until this past weekend.

When I settled down from the frantic frenzy of seeing my love for the first time in too many months, I was able to carefully catalog the market's pickings.  Interestingly, there were a few new varieties I hadn't yet come to know.

There were the classic, super sweet Fuyus, of course:

These crunchy beauties can be munched on while they're still hard, just like an apple.  They're also great chopped up and tossed in a simple salad.  The more golden (and less green), the sweeter.  At $3 a pound, I couldn't resist getting 10 bucks worth.  I mean - come on - I've been waiting 10 months!

In addition to my traditional Fuyus, however, there were crates upon crates of GIANT Fuyus - a much larger, heartier variety of my original love:

These monsters taste just like their smaller cousins but have more sweet-savory flesh to go around.  I obviously needed a bag full of those as well.

Then there were copious amounts of the Hachiya - an astringent variety that only turns edible (that's right - eat them too early and your life is in jeopardy) when they're disgustingly soft (like fall apart in your hands soft). 

Ready to go Hachiyas

These guys are tough to eat when ripe (literally all over the place) but are absolute perfection in a pudding or bread or muffin.  I also love to wait until they're ripened and ready, but then stick them in the freezer - the frozen version makes for a perfect and easy-to-eat after-dinner treat.  Obviously needed to stock up on a bag full of those.

But in addition to the Hachiyas, I spotted a totally new variety called the "Chocolate" persimmon.  These little jewels are named for their chocolate-colored interior stripes which pepper the normally orange flesh with a creamy brown set of spots.  Like their Hachiya sisters, they need to ripen to a certain softness before being ready to eat, but thankfully not to the same level of flabbiness that a Hachiya requires.

Because none were being sampled (as is usual for all product on display at the market - hence my love), I was tentative to add these to my already overflowing set of persimmon-filled bags.  But alas - I couldn't help myself.  I quickly struck up a conversation with the equally-persimmon-loving farmer who agreed to slice me off a few samples before my purchase.  They obviously were delicious (I mean - come on!  they're persimmons!)  so I bought a full bag of those as well.

When all was said and done, I was one happy gal.

Now THAT'S my kind of fruit basket.

xoxo
KK