We've had a very warm autumn and by the time I handed over the persimmons to my parents last Thursday, they were so soft that you'd dent them with a gentle poke. I apologized and also sheepishly handed over some firm persimmons I'd bought from a local farm.
My mom took one look in the boxes of soft persimmons and confidently said, "I'll take care of these." I knew what she'd do with them: make fruit rolls.
Over the weekend, my dad checked in with VWK (he and my mom are avid readers of this blog!). Dad read Amy's comment. She asked how my parents dry persimmons.
Ironically over the weekend, our friend John gifted us a box of hoshigaki Japanese dried persimmons. He purchased them from a farm in California. The farm goes through a special, lengthy process to dry the whole fruit, which explains the $35 a pound price tag. John also reads this blog and asked me how my parents dried persimmons.
Because your minds inquired, my dad sent information and instructions for drying persimmons. What my father wrote:
Here's the way Me (mom) does it:
Dehydrator used: American Harvest brand [my mom also uses these to dry vegetables destined to be pickled]
For persimmons that still have a hard skin: use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. Then cut the flesh into ⅜ to ½-inch thick slices. Put the persimmon on the dehydrator trays and turn on the maximum power for about 8 hours. (Check with the machine instructions to gauge the timing.) Once completely dried, put the dried pieces into plastic storage containers. They can be kept in the freezer for very long time. Use as dessert or for Tet (Lunar New Year).
For very ripe, soft fruit (like the ones you brought this year on Thanksgiving): Me scooped out the soft flesh from the skin, then she pureed it in the food processor. She transferred and spread the puree out onto the dehydrator trays. Then she dehydrated the sheets until dry. She peeled them off and cut them into triangular pieces, and rolled them up. She put them in plastic storage containers and froze them.
We will enjoy the persimmon rolls as dessert for Tet (Friday, January 31, 2014).
There you have it. My parents approaching drying persimmons with ease and simplicity. Some years, I bring them oodles of fruit so they've really streamlined things.
Dried fruit as well as candied sweetmeats are prized at Lunar New Year. They’re a terrific way to savor the intensity and purity of the bounty of past harvests. They’re also terrific nibbles with tea. I hope we get a tiny sample of what my mom made at Christmas.
Related posts about my parents:
- My mom's kitchen quirks (in case you wonder why there's plastic on her kitchen counter)
- My father's other holy trinity (3 things my dad values more than the Catholic church)
- Race for Persimmons: Me vs the Chinese Ritz Cracker Lady (just poking fun at myself)
Toan says
I wonder how do you spread the puree Persimmon on the tray without having it dripping down to the next tray?
Andrea Nguyen says
Bo Gia (my dad) says that the tray has a separate plastic liner for the purpose of making fruit leather, etc.
Toan says
Oh, I see, because mine doesn't have that kind of plastic liner. But if it does, how does the heat go up to dry the fruit? That's interesting. I would love to make that kind of dried fruit. It looks so yummy!
Thanks, Andrea for your post and for taking time to answer my question so quickly.
Aleta says
I have a bumper crop this year and decided to make leather, too. Realized too late that I should have oiled the plastic liner. What a mess!
Suzette says
When I was in Cambodia, I saw people making mango-leather by spreading puree on squares of banana leaf, and drying in the sun. Yummy!! Doesn't work so well here in Canada at this time of year...
Paula says
This looks great. I dont think ive ever tasted persimmons.
Amy says
Yippeee. Thank you , thank you.. You are the best. Tell your parents I say thanks a million for sharing their recipes.
cath says
You have me curious about drying veg for pickles. Can I possibly ask for another post from your parents please?
Andrea Nguyen says
Um, it was my dad who answered you. 🙂
Andrea Nguyen says
Uh-oh, Aleta. Hope you'll do again next year.
Andrea Nguyen says
But isn't that such brilliant cooking you witnessed?! Wow, thanks for sharing that experience.
Andrea Nguyen says
I'm sure they'll see your request, Cath...
Andrea Nguyen says
Paula, try it out. The Fuyu kind pictured at the top is firmer and better eating raw than the Hachiya, which is gelatinous.
lizz says
I don't have time for this, but would very much like to buy some whole dried persimmons. Can you tell me where? Online??
Thanks
Shikha la mode says
Wow, this is so cool! It's a long process, but it looks worth it!
Andrea Nguyen says
Lizz, the link above leads you to this farm:
http://www.penrynorchardspecialties.com/
Andrea Nguyen says
It's amazing how fast those dehydrators work.