Persimmon

Astringent varieties such as Hachiya should feel almost jelly-soft, with translucent flesh; eaten firm, they can make your mouth feel dry. Non-astringent types such as Fuyu can be eaten while crisp, like an apple.

Yes, the skin is edible. Wash the fruit, remove the leafy calyx, then eat it whole if it is firm, or scoop out the soft flesh with a spoon.

For a firm persimmon, slice off the leaves and cut the fruit into wedges or cubes. A very ripe, soft one is easiest to halve and scoop out; it is lovely with yoghurt, porridge or cheese.

Yes. Stir diced firm persimmon into a salad, or bake soft flesh into cakes and quick breads; its sweetness also works well in chutney. For a simple dessert, roast wedges at 200 °C for about 15 minutes until tender.

Keep firm persimmons at room temperature until they reach the ripeness you want. Once soft, refrigerate them and eat within a few days; keep them away from apples and bananas while ripening, as those fruits can speed softening.

Yes. Peel and freeze ripe flesh in portions, or freeze whole very soft fruit on a tray, then thaw it in the fridge and scoop out the pulp. Use thawed persimmon in smoothies, baking or sauces, as it will be mushy.

Sharon fruit is a commercially marketed type of persimmon, usually bred to be non-astringent and eaten while firm. Hachiya persimmons are astringent until fully soft, so the two are not interchangeable at every stage of ripeness.

A 100 g portion provides 3.4 g of fibre. One medium fruit is a practical snack, though its size can vary.