The Transient Beauty of the Fall Persimmon
Persimmon season reminds us of the Japanese concept of mono no aware. Mono no aware notices that everything is transient, most especially things of nature and of beauty. Consider the brief cherry blossom season, the falling leaves of autumn, or the changing face of the moon as it wanes. It combines both a poignant sadness with deep appreciation. And perhaps such things are cherished all the more out of the knowledge that ‘this too, shall pass.’
Unlike many other fruits we can get anytime we like (think blueberries from California or Oregon, Chile or Mexico), persimmons are only here for a few weeks, and then gone until next fall.
Persimmons’ brief season arrives at the very time that we’ve finally said our last goodbyes to summer. The days grow shorter, sunlight is dimmer, and we anticipate the cold and rain of winter.
The good news is that season is right now. Persimmons are in, and we’ll have them for the next several weeks, until around mid-December. We source these beautiful, pesticide-free beauties locally – from Andy’s Orchard and Hanamoto Farms in Morgan Hill, and less than three hours away, from Sweet Home Ranch and Fukushima Farms in Dinuba.
By the way, if you are out shopping for fresh fruit, you’ll notice two types of persimmons – the Hachiya and the Fuyu. The Hachiya has a distinctive acorn shape, and needs to time to ripen until the flesh has achieved a silky-soft, gel-like texture. Because ripe Hachiyas are delicate and a bit messy to eat in an office, for Sigona’s Office Deliveries, we only include Fuyu persimmons in fruit boxes – firm, ripe, and ready to eat right from the minute they arrive at your workplace.
The Fuyu persimmon is orange and kind of squat, like an heirloom tomato. It can be eaten like an apple – sliced into wedges or simply eaten out of hand. Even though the skin is more firm than an apple, it can be eaten as well (a great way to boost fiber and nutrients!). They taste mild and sweet – many people pick up a brown sugar or honey note in the taste.
If you presume from their rich orange color that they might contain lots of antioxidants in the form of carotenoids, you’d be right. Antioxidants are important for keeping inflammation down, and even more so when you factor in beneficial fiber, Vitamin C, and B vitamins.
We’ll have them for a few weeks, so if you like persimmons (or want to try them!), now is the time. Once the season is over, no more until next fall.