The Rare Hyakume--the Sweetest Persimmon of Them All!
I spotted persimmons today in the grocery store, and I was happy to see both the fat round Fuyu and the taller, teardrop-shaped Hachiya. What a surprise then, to discover a third variety, the Hyakume. Shorter and plumper than the Hachiya, I wanted to learn all about it.
While the Hachiya is eaten only when it's very, very soft, and the Fuyu is eaten while it's still hard, the Hyakume, with it's chocolate-flecked flesh, is best eaten when slightly soft. Is it the sweetest of the three varieties? That's what people in-the-know tell me. But the Hyakume is hard to find; its growing season is shorter than either the Hachiya or the Fuyu. So if you see this rather rare treat, don't put off giving it a try. Then decide for yourself which persimmon is the sweetest.
I've never cooked persimmons, (they're so good just as they are), but I know there must be some great recipes for them out there. Any you'd like to share?
--Tracy Schneider
dwightNC on November 12, 2009 at 01:48 PM
Hey Tracy-My grandmother used to make persimmon bread. It was dense and not too sweet, but awesome. Don't have the recipe....toherwise I'd share. Thanks for conjuring that memory!
tom | tall clover farm on November 13, 2009 at 08:08 AM
Tracy, I grow three varieties: Izu, Nishimura Wase Coffee Cake, and one simply called Chocolate. The latter are pretty uncommon and after 4 years in the ground, my trees have yet to produce. There is a consolation; patience will be rewarded with fruit, and the trees are stunningly ornamental in the landscape -- with shiny green tropical looking leaves in the summer that turn fiery orange-red in the fall. It's a great city tree as it stays pretty compact, for a fruit tree that is.
landscaping design phoenix on November 29, 2010 at 06:41 PM
How does their shape change their overall taste? Aren't they still all from the same vine? I don't understand how a longer one can taste any different from a shorter one...