Poco Farm Persimmons

Middle shool students picked persimmons during a Fall visit to Poco Farm and  learned about Hoshigaki, a Japanese method for drying them.

Hoshigaki is a centuries-old Japanese technique that’s both incredibly simple and also labor-intensive. Each persimmon is peeled, tied, hung, and gently massaged every day for four to six weeks, until they reach the perfect level of dried texture and flavor. Over time, the fruit’s natural sugars crystallize across its surface, known as the “sugar bloom.” It’s one of the things that sets Hoshigaki apart from other dried fruit.

Hanging over the Middle School deck for weeks, the sweet decoration of dangling orange persimmons was only matched by the sweet anticipation of our patient students, awaiting the natural sweet treat of the carefully dried persimmons.

Here’s an article to learn more about Hoshigaki and step-by-step recipe.