Persimmon

I first got to know about Persimmon in Japanese movies when I was young and only got to taste it 20 years ago during a food trade fair. Since then it's my second most favorite fruit, next to mango, because of its “honey-like” sweet taste.  Its texture is similar to that of an apricot and its skin is a bit tougher than an apple's.

Persimmon is rich in Vitamins C and A, and might help lower blood pressure.  It can be eaten like an apple but you can also cut them in half and scoop out the fruit with a spoon if it's too ripe.

Origin: The oriental persimmon is native to China, where it has been cultivated for centuries and more than two thousand different cultivars exist. It spread to Korea and Japan many years ago where additional cultivars were developed. The plant was introduced to California in the mid 1800's