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Gastronomy / What are persimmons good for?

The playful autumn awakens the sweet persimmon fruits, which grow only in a Mediterranean climate. In Slovenia persimmons can be found only in Istria, Brda and the Vipava valley. Persimmons have many good qualities besides their sweet taste, as they are very healthy and rich in vitamins A, B and C. Every year in November the Touristic association Solinar Strunjan organizes the traditional Persimmon feast in the coastal town of Strunjan. As you wait for this event, you can savour the heavenly taste of persimmon delicacies on the covered terrace of Grand Garden in Grand Hotel Bernardin and in Hotel Histrion.

Visiting on of the most known events on the Slovenian coast in November – the Persimmon feast – can be a relaxing weekend at the Salinera Resort, which is very close to the central venue of the event. You’ll be able to rejuvenate and refill your batteries in the Bioenergetic park Salinera and enjoy the traditional local fruit full of vitamins just a stone’s throw away from the resort.

Persimmons are originally from Eastern Asia, where they spreadfrom China to Korea and Japan; later in the 19th century they were brought also to Europe and America. The first persimmon fruits on the Slovenian coast were savoured before the First World War. The best-known town for the production of persimmons is Strunjan, where 30% of the agricultural land is used for the cultivation of persimmon. 

Thanks to its structure and harder and thicker skin, the persimmon has a defensive “shield” which is resistant to pests. Thus the trees don’t need to be sprayed with pesticides. The fruit is also very rich with vitamins: compared to an apple, a persimmon has five times more vitamin C and thirty times more vitamin A. Because of the high vitamin contents, two fruits per day are enough to cover the daily requirements of the above-mentioned vitamins. Persimmons also contain vitamin B, which helps immune system and the metabolism, many minerals and antioxidants, which are important for the immune system and prevent inflammations. 

The effect of persimmons on health

Because of its characteristics and the absence of pesticides, the persimmon has numerous beneficial effects on health. Besides regulating metabolism, helping the immune system and preventing inflammations, persimmons also detox our liver and kidneys, influence bone density, improve the health of gums and skin and lower cholesterol levels. Their aroma diminishes stress and weariness. You can find additional information about persimmons on the following website.

Persimmon – recipes for desserts

On an autumn day there’s nothing better than a persimmon crostata.

Persimmon crostata 

Ingredients: 

  • 200 gr flour, 
  • 100 gr sugar, 
  • 1 egg, 100 gr butter, 
  • 3 persimmons, 
  • juice of half a lemon, 
  • juice of half an orange.

Peel the persimmons and soften them with a fork. Mix the persimmon pulp with orange and lemon juice. Mix the flour, sugar, butter and egg in a dough and bake it in the oven for 15 minutes until it gets a golden colour. Pour the pulp mix on the dough and bake for another 5 minutes.

Recipe source.

For fresh persimmons visit Strunjan in November. You can buy them in various locations but you’ll have the widest selection between the 16th and 18thNovember during the Persimmon feast, which takes place close to Salinera Resort.  

You can try your creativity skills in the kitchen or come and try the persimmon crostata in Grand Garden in Grand Hotel Bernardin, where you’ll enjoy infinite sunsets …

For those who would like to enjoy the delicious fruit during the whole year, we recommend making persimmon jam:

How to make persimmon jam?

You’ll need 1,5 kg of persimmons and 250 gr of jam sugar. Cut the fruits in smaller pieces and use a mixer to blend them in a liquid pulp. Cook the pulp until it starts to boil and let it boil for 5 minutes, adding the sugar. Boil for another 10 minutes. You can also add a spoon of cognac or lemon juice. Pour the cooked jam into sterilised jars.

Jam recipe source

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