Originally cultivated in Asia, persimmons have a delicate flavour that is suited to both sweet and savoury dishes.

They have a similar appearance to a tomato, but once ripe they taste more like a peach. Skin colours vary from pale orange to deep orange-red and when cut horizontally a star pattern is visible at the centre of the flesh.

Persimmons can be eaten raw, cooked or dried, and work well in a variety of dishes including pies, cakes, puddings, salads, curries and as a topping for breakfast cereal. Growing to about the size of apples, they high in beta carotene, sodium, magnesium, calcium and iron; it contains twice as much dietary fibre as apples.

The fruit are generally classified into non-astringent and astringent varieties. Non-astringent persimmons can be identified by their squat round shape and sweet flavour and can be eaten when they are semi-ripe to ripe. Fuyu (pictured top) is the main sweet variety grown in Australia and is generally consumed (when still firm) in salads, with yoghurt or baked in pies and cakes.

Astringent persimmons are more heart-shaped, with a high tannin content making the immature fruit bitter. The tannin levels reduce as the fruit matures and a sweeter jelly-like flesh develops as the fruit fully ripens. Astringent persimmons are generally eaten fresh or as an ingredient in jams and compotes. Look for well-coloured, shiny skin that is firm to touch. Store the fruit stem end down, in a single layer at room temperature, where they will soften slightly after a few days’ storage. The Hachiya astringent variety is commonly available in Australia.

You can find persimmons at the stalls of Otherwood Farms, Fat Goose Fruits and B&A Andonopoulos at the Adelaide Showground Farmers’ Market on Sunday from 9am to 1pm at the Adelaide Showground, Leader Street, Wayville.

Certified organic producer Fat Goose Fruits from Renmark will also have persimmons available at their stall at the Willunga Farmers’ Market on Saturday from 8am to 12.30pm.

Also on Saturday mornings is the  Gawler Farmers’ Market, open from 8am to 12pm at the Gawler Visitor Information Centre, 2 Lyndoch Road, Gawler.

Lyndall Vandenberg, marketing and communications coordinator for the Willunga Farmers Market, recommends using fresh persimmons on an antipasto platter or in a salad combined with ingredients such as smoked poultry, strongly flavoured salad greens such as rocket or watercress, avocado, walnuts and ashed goats cheese.

“Wrap slices of perfectly ripe persimmon within freshly sliced prosciutto and drizzle with little extra virgin olive oil and a decent grind of black pepper,” she says.

“Persimmons are also beautiful in a salad. All that needs to be done is to toss all the ingredients together in a bowl and dress with a little lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.”