I was at the South Melbourne markets the other day and spotted persimmons – one of my absolute favorite fruit that remind me of home in south west country WA, where boxes of persimmons were given to us by family friends. They were so delicious, you just couldn’t stop at one. They are now finally in season! I love seeing and buying the different fruits and vegetables available throughout the year, as this way I get to enjoy a variety all year round, maximizing my nutrient intake and keeping away from the dreaded flu!
Have you tried persimmons? They are an interesting looking fruit – of a Chinese origin, have an orange flesh and a crunchy texture similar to an apple. This is the one I particularly like. There is also the original variety which has a soft, jelly-like flesh and are quite sweet. These ones you can scoop out the flesh rather than biting into it like the hard variety.
Persimmons are high in dietary fibre (double that of an apple), high in antioxidants and a great source of vitamin C and beta carotene. Leave the skin on for extra fibre goodness.
Delicious as a snack on its own, added to a salad or paired with cheese and nuts. YUM!!
Buying fruit and veg in season not only saves you a lot of money, but the quality is top notch and exploding with nutrients.
Persimmons aren’t the only fruit in season. Here are a list of Fruits and Vegetables that are currently in season:
Fruit:
Apple // Banana // Grapefruit // Grapes // Kiwi fruit // Watermelon // Figs // Lemon // Persimmon
Vegetables:
Beanshoots // Brocolli // Carrot // Cauliflower // Mushrooms // Potato // Pumkin // Spring Onion // Turnip
Here’s a lovely simple recipe of a persimmon and cheese platter that would be nice to share with friends on the weekend as a treat. Go on – give the persimmons a try if you haven’t already!
Ingredients
1 Persimmon
1 wedge aged cheddar
1 wedge blue cheese
4 shaved slices prosciutto
1/4 cup walnuts
wholegrain biscuits, crackers or crusty bread to serve
cracked black pepper if desired
Method
Assemble the ingredients on a board or platter
Top crackers or bread with cheese, prosciutto, walnuts and persimmon slices
Please note: The cheese selection can be varied to include soft cheeses such as brie or a white castello. Good depth of flavour in the cheeses is important to marry with the subtle sweetness of the persimmon.
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