Persimmon is a winter sweet berry that has received many names for its extraordinary taste. Food of the gods, winter peach, date plum, gourmet dream - all this is persimmon. Early persimmons are known to knit, leaving an unpleasant taste in the mouth due to their high tannic acid (tannin) content.
Persimmon is a real storehouse of vitamins and minerals. It not only delights the most demanding taste, but is also beneficial for health. This berry improves the functioning of the brain, thyroid gland, and helps with atherosclerosis. Persimmons are rich in vitamin C, so its consumption helps recovery and is the prevention of diseases during colds. There are several varieties of persimmons: Caucasian, oriental and chocolate (kinglet). Caucasian persimmon has a strong astringent property and medium softness, its taste is significantly inferior to the other two types. However, it is this persimmon that is most often sold in early winter or late autumn. Oriental persimmon in ripe form is soft and sweet, but if the berry is picked unripe, then it knots and leaves an unpleasant aftertaste that does not go away for a long time. Korolek got the name chocolate persimmon because of its color, its ripe berries are also soft, sweet and unusually fragrant. The astringent properties of persimmons give a high content of a chemical called tannin. This substance is also called tannic acid. It has a strong tanning property based on the tendency to form strong chemical bonds with biopolymers (natural polysaccharides). The tannin imparting a tart, astringent flavor protects the bark, tree leaves and ripening fruits from harmful microorganisms and from being eaten by animals. A small amount of tannin in persimmons will not harm the body, since tannic acid has a beneficial effect on the digestive system and soothes the nervous system. However, those who have just undergone abdominal surgery should be careful with unripe fruits. Astringent unripe persimmons are also used in cooking. For example, it is used in salads, and in Japan it is used to make sake. Such a berry can be "fixed" by putting it in the freezer for several hours. Another way is to wrap the berry in a bag of apples. This fruit releases ethylene, which will accelerate the ripening of the persimmons. In addition, when dried or dried, the berry also loses most of the tannin and acquires a sugary taste.
