I know what you’re thinking: What on earth are persimmons? These bright orange fruits-that look a bit like tomatoes-are a mystery to most people, mainly because so few people have ever tasted one. Although delicious and full of fiber, beta carotene, and vitamin B, persimmons aren’t very popular; you don’t see this late Fall fruit on restaurant menus very often, but they’re naturally sweet and require no preparation, except a bit of waiting; both for ripening, as we’ll see below, and for coming into season: after a year of waiting, I got my first persimmons of the season last week in Chinatown.

You’ll see two different kinds of persimmons at the store. One is the hachiya, shaped like an oval that comes to a point at the top. This variety must be completely soft to the touch before being eaten. Usually, this means letting it sit out for a few days at room temperature after purchasing. If you feel it gently with your fingers, a hachiya that is ready to eat feels like a very soft, overripe tomato. Don’t try eating the hachiya when it’s still hard, or its astringency will leave you with the worst case of cottonmouth you’re ever experienced. That said, hachiya persimmons are my favorite kind. Simply slice one in half and scoop the soft flesh out of the skin with a spoon-no accompaniments needed. Because you usually have to wait a few days to eat it, the experience feels like a reward. The taste resembles a very sweet pumpkin.

The second kind of persimmon you’ll commonly see is the fuyu. (If you haven’t already guessed, both of these names come from Japan, the place where these two varieties were developed, and where the fruit is very popular. Persimmons are, however, native to the US, as well.) Fuyus are truly low-maintenance. Buy them and eat them as you find them, crisp and sweet. Because of their beautiful color, they’re an eye-catching addition to fall salads. Their firm texture is great for punching into fun shapes with cookie cutters, an especially effective technique for getting wary kids to try a new food. And persimmons don’t oxidize and turn brown like apples or pears, but keep their brilliant color.

If you’re making a special meal and you want to impress with a colorful salad, or you want your kids to eat more fresh fruit, try this easy salad made with fuyu persimmons.

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Recipe:

Fall Persimmon Salad

Ingredients:

• Fuyu persimmons
• Lettuce
• Red onion
• Vinaigrette made with rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, or other light colored vinegar
• Toasted walnuts

Instructions:

Cut the persimmons into rounds ¼ inch thick. You should be able to get 3 or 4 slices out of each persimmon before you get to the stem. Punch shapes out of the persimmons with the cookie cutters and place them in a salad bowl. Save the scraps for your morning cereal or to put on top of yogurt.

Thinly slice the onion and add it to the persimmons. Season with salt and pepper and some of the vinaigrette, and toss until well coated. Add the lettuce and enough vinaigrette to coat. Serve garnished with the toasted walnuts.

In November of 2009, Ten Speed Press/Random House will publish Louisa’s first cookbook, Lucid Food: Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life, a collection of healthy, eco-conscious recipes, tips, and entertaining ideas.

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