North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["yarrylo@hotmail.com" <yarrylo@hotmail.com>]

---

Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:51:01 -0500
From: alandhaigh@gmail.com
To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [NAFEX] Steve's first persimmon

<Steve, the persimmon you had is a Fuyu which is a non-astringent kaki persimmon.    The Isreali growers call it something else which I forget, but it is just a marketing strategy.  It is the astringent varieties that need to be eaten mushy soft.>

 

The Israeli persimmon commonly available in supermarkets is the Sharon fruit, a PCA cultivar "Triumph."  The fruit as sold is similar to Fuyu (a PCNA cultivar) in color, shape, size, consistency and taste, but only because it has been chemically or thermally treated to precipitate the soluble tannins and remove the astrigency. Astringent persimmons  may be cold stored for longer periods of time than non-astringent allowing the Sharon fruit to serve as a Fuyu substitute during the off-season when it sells at a premium price. 

 

Alan Stein

Pittsburgh, PA