Picking Wild Persimmons and Making Pulp

Persimmon picking is definitely a skill. Not everyone can do it – or is interested. It takes patience and perseverance. A little knowledge of the local landscape also helps. Equally important is keeping procrastination tendencies in check.

In the fall, fruit on persimmon trees is easily seen in bright sunlight.

Who today really wants to go outside in the cold and pick up fruit on the ground after it has fallen from a tree, particularly when ripe, fresh fruit is so readily available in grocery stores? The effort to pick persimmons probably is the biggest barrier for most people. For me, it’s not the effort; it’s procrastination. If I don’t pick them immediately after they fall, they quickly spoil.

Picking up the fruit soon after it has fallen is important.

Persimmon pudding is a favorite dessert, but making it doesn’t happen unless ripe persimmons are brought home. Knowing where persimmon trees are located is the first step, and then watching as the fruit on them grows and shines with a bright bronze color is crucial. Native to the eastern United States, persimmon trees like full sun and are often found on the edge of woodlands.

After persimmons are washed, they are ready for the pulp to be separated.

Wild persimmons, smaller than those available commercially, are not completely ripe until very soft. It takes only a few minutes to pick a bucket of persimmons. When you return home, wash them and then prepare to extract the pulp by mashing the fruit in a sieve or colander with a wood spoon or similar flat object. The riper the persimmons, the easier the pulp separates from the seed. (A common kitchen tool like a potato ricer works faster, but some of us prefer the old-fashioned method.)

A wooden spoon and colander are all the tools needed

The reward for picking and cleaning persimmons and removing the seeds is luscious pulp ready for making pudding. Enjoy.

Only seeds are left after separating the pulp.

Pulp, fruit, and tools are the key elements.