Persimmons a Winter Fruit

Apparently there are two types of persimmons the kind you cook with and the kind that you eat like a fruit.  They are also called astringent and non astringent, the latter are the kind that you can eat.  They are in between and an apple and a pear, and but with more texture similar to the tomato. Below are pictures that I took of some persimmons at my Aunt's house over Thanksgiving. 

The astringent type has high levels of tannins.  You can taste what tannin is if you peel a dark grape and eat the skin alone.  That is the taste of tannin, which is also in wines.  So when there is high tannin the taste is more bitter, and therefore the astringent persimmons need to be very very ripe, or you just cook and bake with them.   Persimmons are a beautiful color, you can find the persimmon trees full of fruit in the winter.

Basket of persimmons for decoration at Thanksgiving.

Persimmons given to my Aunt by one of her friends.