Persimmons
I had the first persimmon of my entire life today.
The taste? Sort of a cross between a kiwi and a banana, but soothing, reminiscent, in a good way, of all those Thanksgiving vegetables, like sweet potatoes and squash and pumpkin pie. (Don't you consider pumpkin pie a vegetable?)
If you're in the know about persimmons, it was a Fuyu. I had no idea what I was getting when I saw it at the market. But I'd heard Laura Avery talking them up on the Market Report segment of "Good Food" and I decided to be a bit adventurous. Shopping at Nature's Best is like being at Target: it's impossible not to impulse buy. Suddenly you realize, halfway through the store, that all sorts of things have just jumped into your cart, with no effort on your part. I successfully resisted all the hot peppers, the plantains, the big bags of jasmine and basmati rice. But three persimmons? Why not?
Got them home and had no idea what to do next. I consulted the Chez Panisse Desert Cookbook and Chez Panisse Vegtables. Nada. But in The Greengrocer: The Consumer's Guide to Fruits and Vegetables, a book that I use about once every three years, brought to the marriage by my husband, I found a good description of persimmons. Best tip: buy them firm, then put them in a sealed plastic bag with an apple to ripen. Eat when mushy.
Laura Avery suggested cutting the persimmon in half and scooping the flesh out with a spoon. I sliced off the top and ate it like a pear, as I drove to work.
By the way, in the background you can see my progress on flowers for the Clare Bag: three knitted, none felted.
The taste? Sort of a cross between a kiwi and a banana, but soothing, reminiscent, in a good way, of all those Thanksgiving vegetables, like sweet potatoes and squash and pumpkin pie. (Don't you consider pumpkin pie a vegetable?)
If you're in the know about persimmons, it was a Fuyu. I had no idea what I was getting when I saw it at the market. But I'd heard Laura Avery talking them up on the Market Report segment of "Good Food" and I decided to be a bit adventurous. Shopping at Nature's Best is like being at Target: it's impossible not to impulse buy. Suddenly you realize, halfway through the store, that all sorts of things have just jumped into your cart, with no effort on your part. I successfully resisted all the hot peppers, the plantains, the big bags of jasmine and basmati rice. But three persimmons? Why not?
Got them home and had no idea what to do next. I consulted the Chez Panisse Desert Cookbook and Chez Panisse Vegtables. Nada. But in The Greengrocer: The Consumer's Guide to Fruits and Vegetables, a book that I use about once every three years, brought to the marriage by my husband, I found a good description of persimmons. Best tip: buy them firm, then put them in a sealed plastic bag with an apple to ripen. Eat when mushy.
Laura Avery suggested cutting the persimmon in half and scooping the flesh out with a spoon. I sliced off the top and ate it like a pear, as I drove to work.
By the way, in the background you can see my progress on flowers for the Clare Bag: three knitted, none felted.
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