When we bought our home ten years ago, our neighbors Dan and Adrian generously offered to let me pick persimmons from their trees. They have three fuyu (the flat kind) persimmon trees that Dan says he originally thought were suppose to be ‘dwarf’ trees. They’re over 20 feet tall.
Dan and Adrian knew that Asians have a thing for persimmons because for years, a local Chinese lady had been harvesting the persimmons from their trees. They didn’t know her name but she always left a box of Ritz crackers to express her thanks. Seriously. She came with family members, I was told. After we arrived, the Chinese Ritz cracker lady got to harvest from only the front yard tree. We got the two trees in the back, Dan said.
Some years there were tons of persimmons. My husband and I would get out a ladder and he’d climb up and snip the fruit or branches (we did a little trimming for the neighbors). I ducked below and gathered the fruit. We’re not outdoorsy people, and standing on wobbly ladders stretched out to nab a piece of fruit is not our thing. But we did it for my parents – who’d swoon over the tree-ripened fruit that covered their kitchen counters. My parents dehydrated the persimmons because there were so many. They gifted some back to the neighbors one year.
Inevitably, my mom would say, “Why do you two do go through the trouble? It’s so much work, and dangerous. You should be working. What if one of you falls?” Though we had wondered the same things, we’d just look at my mother, roll our eyes slightly, then say that we pick the persimmons because she likes them, because we sort of enjoy to pick the fruit, because our neighbors say that the fruit is for my mom.
The Chinese Ritz cracker lady usually harvested her tree when no one is home at Dan and Adrian’s. A couple of years ago, she was doing her usual picking and another neighbor came up to her and told her she was trespassing. We noticed that she didn’t come back this year because her tree stood unpicked. Hopefully, she found another tree to harvest as well as another recipient of the box of Ritz crackers.
So the fruit hung on the branches and as the season wore on, the golden-orange leaves dropped and revealed a medium harvest of fruit. My husband and I would do our daily walk past the trees and I’d remind myself, “We have to pick persimmons soon for my parents.”
We didn’t get around to it soon enough. One afternoon, a local community group of foragers were swarming around the neighbors yard with ladders and professional picking tools. At first glance I spotted an Asian woman and thought the Chinese Ritz lady had returned with gusto. She and her crew were picking from my trees! The nerve.
I walked up to one of them and said, “Are you harvesting from all the trees? This family lets me pick from the back ones.”
They’d gotten permission and arranged it ahead of time, the woman informed me. She looked slightly alarmed but held her ground.
Damn, we weren’t fast enough. Before I was in friendly competition with the an Asian family for the prized fruit and now, it was a team of athletic backyard foragers. My husband tried soothing my defeated soul, saying that my parents had enjoyed decades of persimmons, that we can’t pick them every year. How many persimmons can one person eat? By the time we finished our daily walk to the grocery store, I felt a little better.
The foragers were loading up their bikes and minivan with persimmons. My head was a little low as we passed them by. Dan screamed out in his baritone voice, “Hey you two, come over here.” For a flash moment I thought my not-so-kind words to the forager woman had gotten me into trouble.
Instead, Dan handed over two boxes of persimmons and a few pomegranates. He had the foragers set aside some for us to bring to my parents this week.
I was -- to say the least -- very thankful. And a little embarrassed. But ultimately, I was delighted and relieved to have such nice, thoughtful neighbors.
Happy Thanksgiving leftovers!
Carol says
So nice to share the bounty! I do feel badly for the Ritz Cracker lady though.
Andrea Nguyen says
Me too. None of know what happened to her. We're town of lots of tree bearing fruit so maybe she found an even better situation.
Maggie says
Lucky you, Andrea! Do you cook with persimmons? I like them very ripe, with a splash of rum. I'm also thinking of pairing with Asian flavoured duck confit (marinated in salt, 5 spice, garlic, star anise and tangerine peel), instead of the commercial plum sauce. They might lack the sharpness of plum, we'll see...
Andrea Nguyen says
I rarely cook with persimmons, Maggie. I bet if you add a little vinegar to your persimmon sauce, you'd get a nice tang. GREAT idea!
Nate @ House of Annie says
We love the Fall because we get to pick off our friends' persimmon trees. How very nice of your neighbor and those foragers to share the bounty with you.
Nancie McDermott says
This is so wonderful. I love everything about it. If you were handy I would bring you some persimmon pudding! Big deal in the South, but only with wild persimmons which are tiny and only good cooked (pudding, cake cookies, pie, beer), unless you are a bird or a wild creature foraging under the trees on a cold fall day. Thanks for this window.
Mexico Cooks! says
Such a lovely story, Andrea, and I too hope the Ritz cracker lady has found excellent pickings. Thank you for writing this!
A good friend brought a dessert to our Thanksgiving feast this year in Mexico City: a maçedoine of figs and persimmons, macerated in charanda (a kind of white lightning) and marsala. She topped the maçedoine with a sweetened mix of mascarpone and assorted chopped dried fruits--plus a sprinkle of home-caramelized pecans. Oh my!
Cristina
Andrea Nguyen says
Tee hee, picking is fun but is sure is nice when someone else climbs that ladder... Happy Holidays to you and your family, Nate.
Andrea Nguyen says
They're little in the South, Nancie? I guess that's due to weather. This year, the biggest ones were the size of a medium fist. And I would adore some of that puddin'.
Andrea Nguyen says
Cristina, that sounds not just beautiful but delicious. You just taught me something new -- charanda. Thank you!
Amy says
Hi Andrea,
Just curious, how do your parent dehydrate the persimmons. Can they share the techniques? My mom loves dried persimmons but nowaday she is rather leery at the dried store bought ones. Thank
Khanh Ho says
I scored about 30 persimmons at a garage sale from a Chinese family--all perfect but smallish. Beautifully displayed. They were so proud of their harvest. I felt bad that I walked in and said, "I'll take them all." My mom always said I was greedy.
ann says
Our family loves persimmons. Even the "oblong" ones that need to be ripen before one can eat. In my humble opinion, persimmons signify the autumn season with the browns leave littering the streets . I love love this time of year!
Andrea Nguyen says
Stay tuned. My parents read your question and sent details!
Andrea Nguyen says
Love that Khanh. I bet the Chinese family was deeeelighted that you swooped down on their persimmons. Nothing wrong with a little commerce.
Andrea Nguyen says
I know what you mean. Persimmon leaves turning color in autumn are a splendid thing to see. Orange, gold and they stay that way for quite a long time after they drop. Gets me every year too.
Amy says
Thank You........... Can't wait!
Toan says
Wow, that's nice of the group to share with you the fruit, even though it could have all be yours! Hope your parents enjoy what you brought for them. The season is over so maybe next year you will be the first to pick them :- )
anh says
Can't wait for the drying directions! My parents have a persimmon tree in their backyard and they are getting waaay too ripe. We like them a little crunchy. I'm with Amy, very leery of the ones sold at the Asian stores nowadays. My mom loves eating dried persimmons for Tet. If I could dry and store them properly, that would make a lovely gift for her this year.
A couple years back, we were in Japan and chanced upon the dried version of the longer softer persimmons. What was so striking about this rendition was that the fruit was not completely dried out. The middles were still kind of soft and gooey, almost gelatinous (for lack of better wording). I had purchased a couple of boxes as presents, but have not found anything like that in the states.
anh says
The Japanese ones are called Hoshigaki!! Found a link on Youtube that has the directions on how to make them. Now I've got to file this away for next year...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENLx4lPEGSE
Andrea Nguyen says
I guess I have a new/stronger motive now to pick earlier!
Andrea Nguyen says
My parents drag out their stash of homemade dried fruit and sweet meats at Tet. SOOOOOO much better than store bought, which sometimes gives me a stomach ache.
Andrea Nguyen says
Those things are a labor of love to make.
Maggie says
I chickened out, and put the confit in a mixed leaf, avocado and red onion salad, dressed with some blackcurrant vinegar and pomegranate seeds. Thanks for the tip, though, I'll be experimenting!
Randi says
Great story! I too have an Asian man who takes fruit from my yard and leaves gifts!
http://binbincrackerlove.tumblr.com/
ducksandbooks says
fruit grabby arms make it SO much easier!
When I lived in Boulder, CO some of our neighbors had fruit trees in their yards and would leave one of these out and maybe a sign saying that it's OK to pick fruit, just leave some for others and don't take the grabby arm.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/151173133566?lpid=82