Indiana persimmons are found primarily in the Midwest — especially in my home state of Indiana. Smaller than their Asian persimmon counterparts, they’re harvested between September and November. The tree at the Pesky neighbor’s place is loaded this year.
Persimmon pudding is my favorite dessert on the planet.
Ripe persimmons are used in puddings, breads, pies, and jams — but the only dish that really matters is persimmon pudding.
The high tannin content in persimmons is what causes the puckering, bitter taste when you take a bite of one not yet ripe. When tannin cells come in contact with body tissues, the tissue shrinks — and people complain it gives them ‘cotton mouth’. That tannin stuff acts as an anti-inflammatory and is a strong antioxidant. Heck, in the 1800’s, persimmon tree bark was used to treat gonorrhea.
I don’t care about all that – I just want to eat pudding. 🙂
Now you know: Persimmon tannins can inactivate SARS-CoV-2 and suppress the viral load in saliva samples from people who eat candy containing persimmon tannins.