Persimmons

I had never had a persimmon before coming to Japan, so the first time bought one I had no idea what to do with it. I actually really enjoyed trying to deduce how you eat them, I felt like a monkey.

Persimmons are bright orange, so my first thought was that I should eat it like an orange. I dug my fingernail into the side, and tried to peel it. That only resulted in me geting persimmon  stuck under my fingernail. The outside feels really smooth and waxy, kinda like a watermelon, so I thought I should cut it open. To my surprise the fruit is the same texture and consistency all the way through, so I figured just take a bite... and I hated it. 

Persimmons are delicious, my monkey brain just had not thought that the fruit might not be ripe. 

If you ever get a chance to eat a persimmon, make sure it is ripe, it should be slightly squishy. Cut it up and let it oxidize before you eat it, this brings out the sweetness. You will know that it is ready when there is a sticky jelly on the surfaces of the persimmon. The entire thing is edible, and there are no seeds. I really recommend trying one if you get the chance.