What to Do with an Overload of Persimmons

There are so many great conversations on the Hotline -- it's hard to choose a favorite. But we'll be doing it, once a week, to spread the wealth of our community's knowledge -- and to keep the conversation going.

Today: Discover the many ways to use these vibrant, cool weather fruits.

If you’re looking for a bright, sweet fruit to enjoy throughout the fall and into the dead of the winter, turn to persimmons. These fiery-colored fruits go well in both savory and sweet dishes, but when you have, say, 20 pounds of them, as CLK does, figuring out how to use them can seem pretty overwhelming. Turning to the community for help is always a good idea: CLK now has tons of great ways to get through all of those persimmons, and you do too -- whether you have Fuyus or Hachiyas.

Enjoy some now:

• Taniabr loves persimmon bruschetta (and almost everything that's good on toast is good in a salad too).
• According to Jan Weber, Hachiya persimmons are “the best for preserves and canning,” but Diana B shares that she's had success using Fuyu persimmons in jam too.
• One note of caution from Pastry Chef Shuna Lydon: “They are incredibly high in pectin, so they can set just about anything -- including stopping one's blender mid-whirl. So be careful.”

More: Put your blender to use and make the perfect milkshake -- no recipe required. 

Save some for later: 

• One of the best options for copious amounts of any food is to freeze some for later. HalfPint suggests pureeing the persimmon pulp, putting it into plastic freezer bags to maximize your freezer space, and then making persimmon bread, smoothies, and steamed pudding with the thawed fruit pulp later on.
• A number of community members suggest freezing persimmons whole, which results in instant persimmon sorbet (Psst: Recipes don't get any easier than this).
• You can also dry persimmons: “Do as the Japanese have done for centuries and dry them to make a delicious chewy fruit snack,” says Jan Weber.

Do you have a favorite recipe for persimmons? Tell us in the comments or join in the conversation over on the Hotline!

Photos by James Ransom