Other names: Persimmon

Availability: November through March

General Information: The Sharon Fruit is a fairly new fruit on the American market from the Sharon region of Israel. Although bred from and resembling the common persimmon, all similarity ends there. All traces of seed, core and bitter tannin taste have been bred out of it. Unlike the garden-variety persimmon, the Sharon Fruit may be eaten both hard as an apple or soft as a ripe peach.

The Sharon Fruit is delicious as is or added to your other favorite fruits for a delicious fruit salad. But, it can also be cooked in a variety of ways and makes a delightful addition to many recipes calling for fruit. When cooked, the Sharon Fruit's texture resembles that of an apricot.

The Sharon is a hardy fruit and may be refrigerated for up to 14 days. It is hand-picked off the tree and transported to this country in climate-controlled containers.

While brown spots may appear both on the surface and inside the fruit, these are only collections of sugar crystals and mean that the fruit is at its sweetest.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION A single Sharon Fruit provides one half the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin A (Beta Carotene) and over 100% of the daily requirement of Vitamin C. At only 71 calories per 100 grams, the Sharon Fruit is also a guilt-free sweet.