Fruits and Nuts · FFET10485
Persimmon
Sweet persimmons can be eaten fresh; astringent ones need treatment and can also be dried into persimmon cakes with a white bloom.
Melons and other fruits eaten fresh, cooked into dishes or dried.
Persimmon is the fruit of Diospyros kaki; sweet varieties can be eaten directly, while astringent varieties need treatment such as being left to soften. The fruit can also be peeled, flattened and dried into persimmon cakes, whose white surface powder is called shishuang. Persimmons grow in both northern and southern China, and Fuping in Shaanxi is one place where dried persimmons are made.
What
Persimmon is the fruit of Diospyros kaki, with sweet and astringent varieties. It is eaten fresh or made into dried persimmon cakes, which can develop a white surface powder called shishuang.1,2
When
A Ming-dynasty account describes persimmon varieties and dried-persimmon making. It records flowering in the fourth month and fruit ripening in the eighth and ninth months.1
Where
Persimmons are grown in both northern and southern China. Historical descriptions mention yellow persimmons from Bianzhou and Luoyang and vermilion persimmons from Mount Hua. Fuping in Shaanxi is also a dried-persimmon producing area.1,2,3
How
Sweet persimmons can be eaten directly; astringent varieties can be treated by leaving them to soften or by soaking. A historical method for dried persimmon cakes involves peeling and flattening the fruit, exposing it to sun by day and dew at night, then storing it in a jar until the white bloom forms. Persimmons are also used for wine and vinegar, and frozen persimmons are eaten in northeastern China.1,2
Why
The distinction between sweet and astringent persimmons affects their preparation before eating. When made into dried persimmon cakes, their flattened shape and white bloom give them an appearance distinct from the fresh fruit.1,2
Impact and influence
A reprinted magazine article states that Fuping's persimmon area grew from about 250,000 mu in early 2019 to about 360,000 mu in early 2021, and that about 60,000 metric tons of dried persimmons were processed in 2021. The article also states that Fuping dried persimmon received a geographical indication trademark in 2017 and joined the China-EU geographical indication list in 2021; the official notices were not opened.3