Monday, October 29, 2007

Persimmon Flan: not what I expected


So I tried making the persimmon flan today, since we have so many persimmon fruits. I didn't have any pomegranates so I didn't use the seeds. It probably would have looked better it I did. So the flan came out ok, but the inside wasn't as smooth - it had a texture, I think because of the tiny bits of persimmon. I think it should also be served immediately. The next day it became crumbly and it wasn't very good anymore. I'm not sure what went wrong. I stored it in an air-tight container and put it in the fridge.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Persimmons: like little pumpkins


Right now, our fruit bowl is filled with fresh Fuyu persimmons. a great after-dinner dessert during the fall and winter months.

The peak season for persimmons is from October to February. They're shaped like tomatoes, but I think they look like little shiny pumpkins, so they make a nice decoration fruit for the fruit bowl during the fall season when Halloween and Thanksgiving are approaching. However, once ripe, they can only be kept for several days. We recently received a large bag full of persimmons that had not yet reached its peak ripeness, and now they're beginning to ripen, so we have to eat them soon.

The Fuyu persimmon is firm, unlike the Hachiya, and is crunchy like an apple. You can eat it with or without the skin, but I like to peel off the skin first. The longer you wait to eat it, the softer it gets, so I suggest eating it at its crunchiest!

For more information on persimmons, visit the Grown in California web site.

Click here for a persimmon flan recipe from Cooking Light Magazine