Field guide · Autumn–winter (Med)

Persimmon / kaki

Dióspiro in Portugal, caqui in Spain, kaki almost everywhere else — but the name matters less than which of the two kinds is in front of you, and stalls rarely say. The astringent sort has to be jelly-soft before it's edible; bite one while it's firm and the tannins turn your whole mouth to felt. The crisp sort, which is most of what Spain ships out of the Ribera del Xúquer, is meant to be eaten hard, like an apple. Simplest thing to do with it: if it's soft, cut the top off and eat it out of its own skin with a spoon.

Noted 2026-07-26