Persimmons
{Succulent, mellow and satisfyingly sweet}
From late fall through early winter, persimmons of two main kinds, Hachiya and Fuyu, glow in baskets at my local farmers’ markets.
With their gray-green four-lobed calyx attached (see photo of Fuyus above), these deep orange fruits somehow remind me of some verdigris detailing crowning an ancient Greek or Roman column, but there’s nothing old-fashioned about their candy sweet personality.
Heart-shaped Hachiyas require patience as they slowly ripen to a sensual jelly-like consistency. (Don’t try to eat these before they are fully ripe. Unpleasant tannins will coat your tongue, robbing you of the special pleasure of eating this fruit in season). The slightly flattened round Fuyus are good even rock hard, eaten like an apple, but with time, also soften to a plumlike texture, which is how I like them in the seasonal composed salad idea offered here. Elements–salty, sweet, crisp and creamy– each play their part in this colorful melange.
