Monday, November 29, 2010

Hachiya .... Gesundheit!

Thanksgiving has passed but I'm still feeling it.  It was paradise in Paradise.... awesome family, great fun, delicious food, silly snowball fight, relaxing.  I'm so thankful for my all of my "in-laws".... how I got so lucky I will never know!  


And now that I'm back home in my own paradise, I'm so thankful for living in Ojai and the abundance around me. Right before I left, our persimmon tree was ablaze in brilliant orange leaves and fruit.  It was just beginning to carpet the groundcover with it's color.  I shot a quick photo but realized I need to share more images with you and to finally bring some fruit inside to ripen.  I hope they ripen before my bookclub on Thursday ...I'm hoping to make some tasty cookies.


Our persimmon is a Hachiya, which is a variety that produces large oval shaped fruit that must be ripened into almost a mush before it can be used...mostly for baking.  And our happen to be HUGE this year!  The other type is called at Fuyu, which have a squattier shape with a flat bottom.  Fuyus can be picked and eaten raw in a salad or alone.  Both varieties, which originate from Japan and are their national fruit, are loaded with vitamin C and high in fiber. They are good for your gesundheit (which means health) but one shouldn't eat them on an empty stomach!  







Here is something I bet you didn't know. I didn't until today....


from Mother Earth News — Issue # 127 - August/September 1991 —
Remove a few twigs from a persimmon tree, cover them with water, and boil for 20 minutes. Strain and cool the liquid. Applied on a poison ivy or poison oak rash, it will stop the itch immediately, and after a few applications will dry the rash.

2 comments:

Cobalt Violet said...

Holy cow!!!! EYE POPPing gorgeous photos!
BEautiful!
Did you see there was a recipe in Sunset for persimmons? I think it was November?

Beatnheart said...

Hey there Penny!! more things we have in common. Persimmons! I have the Fuyu...must have eaten 3 a day since they started to come out...i like em crunchy like an apple...i had 350 of them last year. they are still frozen in batches in my freezer! this year smaller crop but I still have some...let the birdies eat alot of them this year. also waxed Linen!! yes, I just got some too at a bead show ...love it and can’t wait till i can use it..bring back my old 60’s macrame skills!!! ha ha...also
isn’t Chicago just a fab place. Go in the summer when the music festivals are free and off the charts. Pop by for a visit...I’m having a GIVEAWAY...i’m also selling things (at cost!) just to move them out...I’m going to do mostly custom work cause my hands are hurting too much...so I’ll be the only one wearing my stuff. we’ll see what the future brings...opps, rambling on...all the best..Cynthia