I discovered persimmons about a year ago at Trader Joes, and forgot all about them.
While wondering thru Sprouts the other day, I came across a different variety I had never tried. "Hachiya Persimmon" the label read. As is my custom when I discover odd looking produce, I threw it in the cart.
When we got home, my wife cut one up. I was in the other room, and I heard her scream, "Ahh, there's something wrong with it.... oh gross, get it out... I think I'm allergic to it..."
I calmly watched her as she spit into the sink, and ran running water into her mouth in a frantic attempt to flush out the fruit.
Thinking she was over-reacting, I bit into a piece myself.
At first the taste was pleasant. It tasted similar to a regular persimmon. After about 3 seconds, all moisture was sucked out of my mouth. Then I understood.
As I continued to chew, the texture of the fruit dissolved and became like cotton. By then, I too had my head in the sink under a current of rushing water.
Upon doing some online research, I found that Hachiya Persimmon's are completely inedible until fully ripe. And fully ripe means EXTREMELY soft to the touch. This one wasn't extremely soft.
Too bad Sprouts didn't educate me about how to eat it. I wonder how many people give up on foods because they didn't know what to do with it or didn't cook it right?
Needless to say, here's how not to eat an (unripe) Hachiya Persimmon. On second thought, give it a try. I guarantee you'll never have a feeling like that in your mouth ever again :)
