Persimmons and Windowsills

One of the secrets to living Raw is to eat a vast variety of fruits and vegetables. I love to explore produce I have never tried before. Persimmons are a new favourite of mine and are available from now and into winter which is perfect because they are an excellent source of vitamin A and a good source of vitamin C to keep away the colds and 'flu that may sneak up on you at this time of year. They also contain a very good protein profile (15 or more different amino acids!!!) and they are high in fibre which must be the soluble mucilaginous type because, although the skin is rather tough, the flesh is very pulpy - especially when very ripe. They also contain calcium and iron.
The type I have found in our local produce markets here in the Eastern Cape are the Fuyu Persimmons which look somewhat like a large squat tomato. These may be eaten when still quite firm, unlike the heart-shaped Hachiya which need to be well ripened and pulpy or they are very astringent due to a high tannin content. I chop my Persimmons into the blender with bananas but they are also wonderful chopped into fruit or vegetable salads.
The first time I examined a Persimmon in the local supermarket I wasn't quite sure what they were or whether the hard yellow/orange fruit was ripe or not. Fortunately, a kind gentleman dispelled my dilemma when he pounced on several and added them to his basket telling me that a few days sitting on an east facing windowsill and they would soon darken and soften to perfect ripeness. Luckily my kitchen has an east facing window - every kitchen should have an east facing window so that you can see the sun rise - and yes, those Persimmons ripened beautifully and I still don't know why it must be an east facing windowsill yet every autumn my Persimmons are placed on the windowsill above the sink where they ripen in the rays of morning sun dappled through the leaves of the Wild Pear tree.