Growing up, right around late autumn to early winter (and just in time for the holidays), my mom always had a beautiful fruit bowl in the center of our dining room table filled with fresh pomegranates, prickly pears, and a bright oval-shaped fruit that resembles an orange bell pepper, which of course left my five-year-old self very curious. I soon learned they were called ‘cachi’ in Italian, which of course made me giggle at the time.
Persimmons
What are cachi, you might ask? It’s the Italian word for persimmons – one of those unique, undiscovered fruits. I was recently surprised to learn that one of our dear family friends happens to grow persimmons right in her very own backyard in West Harrison, New York. Persimmon trees are now abundant in Italy, though they were originally imported from Asia in the late 1800s as a decorative tree. Although the persimmon tree is resilient and strong, in the Northeast they must be harvested before the first frost, usually by mid-October up to February in milder climates. The great thing about persimmons is they are loaded with vitamin C, so it's the perfect way to boost the immune system in the colder winter months. Cachi is considered an autumn fruit in Italy, which is cultivated mainly in the Emilia-Romagna region – and surprisingly, in our dear friend Maria Rosaria's backyard in Westchester County.
Maria Rosaria Dileo Caputo – originally from Guardia Lombardi, Italy, and now a retired Special Education Teacher – grew up on her Nonna's big farm in the province of Avellino, where they grew all sorts of fruits, like pears, plums, and persimmons, and where her passion for gardening and preserving started. Her nonna always made preserves, which they would store and eat year-round. Maria Rosaria has been growing persimmon trees in her backyard for a few years now. "I absolutely love the beauty of the bright colorful tree, and it reminds me so much of my childhood, growing up on my nonna's farm," she said.
Mrs. Caputo and her persimmon marmalade
This year, in particular, her tree produced more persimmons than ever before. "Our tree was filled [with fruit] and we picked about a hundred pounds of persimmons," says Maria Rosaria. So what does one do with such an abundance of goodness? Well, Maria Rosaria decided to turn her kitchen into a marmalade factory for a day, filling up jars and jars with delicate persimmon marmellata. "I've always had a passion for cooking and I never really follow a recipe per sé. I just love experimenting in the kitchen," she notes. She personally delivered a full jar to me over the Thanksgiving holiday while I was home in New York visiting my family.
There are many variations of persimmons, each type having its own unique flavor. Maria grows Fuyu Persimmons, which feature a squat rounded shape with caps and an indented leaf. Both the skin and the flesh of this fruit are an orange pumpkin color with layers of flavor – reminiscent of pears, dates, and brown sugar (with a hint of cinnamon). When they’re young, persimmons feature a crisp, succulent texture, but once ripe, the consistency softens, making the fruit more gelatinous, almost like a smooshed apricot. Once the skins turn deep orange, the persimmons are ready to be picked and harvested. Unlike most other persimmon varieties, Fuyu persimmons aren’t quite as astringent in taste, so you can still eat them while firm. In fact, for her marmalade recipe, Maria Rosaria strongly recommends using the persimmons when they are not too ripe, but instead, still a bit firm so it’s easier to cut them into chunks. "They shouldn't be too squishy, so when they are cooked and broken down, the fruit maintains a smooth, grainy-like consistency,” she explains. Persimmons are an adventurous fruit with a uniquely sweet and fibrous taste, so you can add many different flavors when making marmalade, like Maria does in the recipe below. She likes to add a touch of lemon juice and vanilla mixed in with an apple to give it a perfectly sweet flavor, which makes for a tasty treat you can store and eats for months and months. Her intention was to use her homemade marmalade to make a traditional crostata, but it was just so delicious that her family ate all the jars of it in just one week’s time. Eaten with ricotta cheese or gelato, persimmon marmalade is a sheer delight – or even simply spread on toast!
Mrs Caputo and her persimmons
Homemade Persimmon Marmalade Preserves by Maria Rosaria Dileo Caputo
Ingredients:
4 lbs of firm persimmons, cut into small chunks (Make sure the persimmons are not too ripe)*
1 golden delicious apple
2 cups of sugar
2 tablespoons of vanilla
1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
Persimmons
Method:
Place all ingredients into a large pot and let it reduce for about 10-15 minutes over medium heat. Then pulse it in a food processor, about 3-4 pulses. (Don’t overdo it to reach the right consistency.)
Return the marmalade to the pot. Cook for an additional 30 minutes over medium heat.
While the marmalade is still boiling, use it to fill sterilized glass mason jars. (It’s absolutely necessary to sterilize the jars beforehand.)
Make sure the jars are sealed tight and keep them stored in a cool basement pantry for up to 3 months after opening.
Chopped fruit
*When cleaning the persimmons, cut off the top and scoop out the sweet pulp inside. Be sure to remove and discard any seeds or white strings.