Growing up in the country northwest of Cedar Vale and later exploring along the creeks and river near town, I was always interested in fruit that could be picked off of a vine or tree. Some berries were good to eat and some were not. I remember picking wild currents, mulberries, cherries, apples, pears, and persimmons.
It was fairly easy to tell when most of the fruit was ripe by looking it, or by tasting a little bit. All except for the persimmons! It is clear when looking at a persimmon when it is not ripe, but not so clear when it is. Even after the skin is a deep orange and beginning to wrinkle, it may not be ripe. So the next option is to taste it.
I still remember fifty plus years later, the bitter, lingering taste of a persimmon picked before its time! And, since we were usually some distance from home without water or anything else to drink, the taste lingered on for a long time. Unless of course, you could find a ripe persimmon and eat it.
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4 comments:
My father, on our many rambles over the countryside, taught me how to eat persimmons. His technique was to never try until after several frosts had turned them wrinkly and dark. I, of course, had to try them myself before they were ready, with the results you describe. The other problem is that the 'coons got them pretty quickly when they were sweet.
I just put Jay's blog on the links at the bottom of the page. Enjoy!
Jay, perhaps the area availability of persimmons is why so many used the phrase, "pucker up"?
"Sand Plum" was another fruit made into a delicious jelly.
Jay D., Do you have no fear that some Panamanian dictator might come along and seize all the assets of foreigners? like they did in Mexico twenty years ago??
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