If you have a mature persimmon tree, you know it produces more fruit than you can consume fresh. But the good news is that there are ways to preserve them. You can freeze them, dry them, or turn them into jam. But before we go into the details of preserving persimmons, let's quickly review the two major types of persimmons that exist.
Persimmons are generally categorized as astringent or non-astringent. Non-astringent persimmons, such as the Fuyu and Jiro, are oblate shaped and can be eaten crisp like an apple, or slightly soft. Astringent persimmons, like Hachiya, are larger and acorn shaped. They are highly acidic and bitter unless they are really ripe, to the point of being somewhat mushy.
The most common method of preserving astringent and non-astringent persimmons is to dry them. Dehydrating astringent persimmons also removes the astringency. To dry persimmons in an electric food dehydrator, select firm persimmons and wash them under running water, patting them dry with a paper towel. Remove the stems. You can peel them or leave them unpeeled. Slice them into a quarter of an inch to no more than half inch slices. Lay the slices single layer on the dehydrator tray and dehydrate. To test for dryness, cut a couple of pieces in half. You should not be able to squeeze any moisture out of them, and there should be no visible moisture. And if you fold the piece over, it should not stick to itself.
Astringent persimmons are also frequently dried whole Hoshigaki style, i.e. open air drying the whole persimmon. To dry Hachiya persimmons Hoshigaki style, harvest only orange, firm persimmons for this purpose, leaving about one and a half inches of the stem intact. Trim away the calyx (the green ruffled top,) being sure to leave the stem intact. Next, rinse the persimmon under running water, drying it with a paper towel. Peel away the skin. Tie a foot-long length of cotton string to the stem and hang it from the rafters or some other well-ventilated area for it to air dry. It can take one to two months to air dry. When dried, the persimmons should feel leathery but still pliable.
You can also freeze persimmons to use later in baked items. To freeze persimmons, puree the pulp. It is recommended to add 1/8 teaspoon of ascorbic acid to each quart of persimmon puree. Place the pulp in a canning jar or freezer container being sure to leave sufficient head space. (See https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/headspace.html if you're uncertain how much head space to leave.)
And if you do not mind the natural texture of ripe astringent persimmons, you can simply freeze the ripe pulp as is to consume later as a frozen treat.
Persimmons can also be made into jam. Although you can find a lot of persimmon jam recipes on the web, many of them are not from reputable sources and may not be safe. Only use jam recipes from trusted sources such as the National Center for Home Food Preservation, pectin companies, universities etc. If you are uncertain if a jam recipe is safe or not, contact your local UCCE Master Food Preserver Program for assistance. Two sample reputable persimmon jam recipes can be found here:www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/mcp-persimmon-freezer-jam-63386.aspx and www.pomonapectin.com/recipes/persimmon-jam/.
Sources/references: National Center for Home Food Preservation www.nchfp.uga.edu and “Persimmon Time.” (a handout), Author: Olive McCracken, Home Advisor, University of CA Cooperative Extension, Solano County.
For more information about the UC Master Food Preserver Program, including the Food Preservation Video Library, visit mfp.ucanr.edu.
FAQs
How to buy a house in Los Angeles
- Find your favorite neighborhood.
- Set your budget.
- Get pre-approved for a loan.
- Work with an expert agent.
- Secure a commission rebate.
- Learn about local laws and regulations.
- Make an offer.
- Inspections and appraisal.
Los Angeles, CA housing market
In May 2024, the median listing home price in Los Angeles, CA was $1.3M, trending up 2.1% year-over-year. The median listing home price per square foot was $731. The median home sold price was $1.3M.
What is considered Los Angeles City? ›
The city of Los Angeles covers a total area of 502.7 square miles (1,302 km2), comprising 468.7 square miles (1,214 km2) of land and 34.0 square miles (88 km2) of water. The city extends for 44 miles (71 km) from north to south and for 29 miles (47 km) from east to west. The perimeter of the city is 342 miles (550 km).
How do I contact the city of Los Angeles? ›
Our mission is to connect people to City services and information, quickly and easily, via the communication channel of their choice.
- Dial 311 or (213) 473-3231. MyLA311's Call Center is open. ...
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New homebuyers now need to make at least more than $106,000 now to comfortably afford a 30-year home mortgage with a 10% down payment, Zillow said. However, a typical U.S. household earns about $81,000 per year, making homeownership a distant dream for many, according to Zillow.
What salary do you need to buy a house in Los Angeles? ›
The real estate trade association determined that local households needed to earn at least $192,800 per year in order to afford L.A. County's 2022 median home price of $849,410. Those figures assumed buyers had enough money on hand for a 20% down payment.
Is 200k enough to live in Los Angeles? ›
A $200,000 a year salary is downright middle class if you're living in a big city like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Boston, Washington D.C., or San Diego.
How much do I need to live comfortably in LA? ›
In Los Angeles, Honolulu, San Francisco, Seattle and Boston, you'd need to earn $110,000 or more to live comfortably as a single person. All of these cities command some of the highest living costs in the country, particularly for housing, according to The Council for Community and Economic Research.
Is LA expensive to rent? ›
Los Angeles has one of the highest rental costs in the US. With an average rental price of $2,239 per month, it's no surprise that many residents choose to split the costs with roommates or live in some of the more affordable neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
What is the $1000 rent assistance program in Los Angeles? ›
Basic Income Guaranteed: Los Angeles Economic Assistance Pilot is providing approximately 3,200 individuals with $1,000 per month for 12 months. These are unconditional, regular, and direct cash payments to individual participants that supplement existing welfare programs.
Q: Is living in L.A. worth it? A: Most residents of L.A. would say it's most definitely worth it! With its warm and sunny climate throughout most of the year, Los Angeles provides a fantastic job market, lots of entertainment, rich culture, beautiful beaches, and so much more.
What is 311 in Los Angeles? ›
What Is 3-1-1? How Do I Access 3-1-1 Services? 3-1-1 agents process customer inquiries using the Citywide Services Directory (CSD) which provides accurate information for service requests such as: City Services: Garbage Collection, Non-Emergency Police & Fire, Business Permits, Street Maintenance, etc.
How much cash do you need to buy a house in Los Angeles? ›
What is the maximum budget I can reasonably afford to buy a home in Los Angeles? Ideally, you want 20% of the purchase price available in cash for the down payment. Put in less and the terms get more onerous.
How much down payment do I need for a house in Los Angeles? ›
The average down payment on a new home in California was $103,000 in the spring of 2022. That's a staggeringly high sum if you're on a tight budget, but you probably don't need that much cash to buy a place here. With a conventional loan, you'll need a minimum down payment of 3 percent of the purchase price.
What credit score do you need to buy a house in Los Angeles? ›
A good credit score. Lenders typically look for a score above 650. Some lenders will accept lower scores based on the loan program and the borrower's debt-to-income ratio.
How can I buy a house in low income in Los Angeles? ›
The LIPA program helps first-time, low-income homebuyers purchase homes in the City of Los Angeles by providing loans to cover the down payment, closing and acquisition cost. The MCC program provides a dollar-for-dollar reduction to the homebuyer's potential federal income tax liability.
