How to Make Hanging Dried Persimmons (Hoshigaki)

A seasonal tradition brought over from Japan to America by Japanese-American farmers, making hoshigaki (as they're called in Japanese) is a fun outdoor autumn project you can do before the winter season really kicks in. Hang a bunch of peeled persimmons on a string outside, wait for three to five weeks, and harvest yourself some naturally dried persimmons during the winter months. Though peeling the fruit and then regularly massaging the fruit every few days after hanging may be more labor intensive than sticking a bunch of sliced fruits in a dehydrator, making your own hoshigaki makes for a truly unique seasonal activity. 

Some things to take note: 

• Use only hachiya persimmons, which are more pointed at the bottom. See if your local ethnic market has them, or if you have any family or friends with persimmon trees in their backyards.
• This seasonal project works if you start in October to November and end by January. It would work best in areas with cool to cold dry winter weather, and not in geographic areas with high humidity.

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