One of things I love living in Dubai is being able to eat so many kinds of fruits, no matter what the season is. Pretty neat considering we live in the desert. Look what I found at the grocery store: Persimmons! It goes by the name “Kaka” here, just a wee bit different to what they’re called in Japan: “Kaki”.
It’s my favorite autumn fruit – that one fruit that sends me to nostalgia land every time I see it, or eat it.
Persimmon was the first fruit I ever ate in Japan. It was a chilly, rainy autumn day in October 16 years ago when I was ushered into the school dormitory, the place where I would spend more than 4 years. I did not know anyone and there was no other girl from my country. There were several students from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand – they were all friendly but at the end of the day, they would gather in their own groups, talking in their native languages. I was scared on my first night in Japan. Will I ever find friends?
I was lying in bed looking at the ceiling and thinking of my family back home (just you know, thinking because there is no internet and I did not have any mobile) I heard a knock on my door and when I opened, a sweet smiling girl, in her jammies greeted and welcomed me, bringing a basket of orange-ish fruit I didn’t know. She’s two years older than me and she’s from Thailand. I told her to come inside and we talked like there’s no tomorrow.
It was the night I made my first friend in a foreign country, while peeling and eating persimmons! So this fruit has a special place in my heart – the sweetness reminds me of the sweet gesture shown to me by a stranger turned good friend. I buy it every time I see it, even if it’s a bit expensive! (The label on the photo says 33.90 dirhams/kilo or US$9.00/kilo)
Finding Backroads 
I have never had a persimmon! Will need to try this.
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Does it grow in your place?
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I love persimmons! Sometimes they are called Sharon fruit..we pay ~1.5$ each here so I only buy a few!
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Sharon fruit! Now that’s something new! They’re expensive here too as they come from far away lands but they’re worth every penny. One of my favorite fruits!
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Aw, what a very sweet post! It’s wonderful when simple things like a piece of fruit can bring back those fond memories 🙂
I can honestly say I’ve never heard or tried of a persimmon, but I’m such a hardcore fruit lover, I just might try to seek one out!
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Does it grow in your place? I thought it would be available wherever there is autumn season…
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Kakis are good but hachiya persimmons are much much sweeter. You just have to wait until they are really soft.
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back home in Pakistan they’re known as Chinese fruits and not Kaki or persimmons 🙂 I do wonder why Chinese if the origin is Japan?
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I don’t know if the origin is in Japan but there are plenty of this in Japan 🙂
Do you buy them here in Dubai?
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i love fruit in general (ok not kiwis cos they make my inner ears itch…) but this is one fruit i have not made friends with.
on the other hand, my sister in law and parents were so thrilled to find it here at a more reasonable price than london. they also declared that the quality was better too.
yes – we are lucky in dubai.
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You’re allergic to kiwis?? Have you tried the golden kiwi? They’re yellow and much more sweeter than the green ones and hopefully they won’t make your ears itch!
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I haven’t bought them here as still haven’t seen them in supermarkets, dont know why but dont buy much fruit here, i know i should cuz i love fruits 🙂
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What a great story! Thanks for sharing.
I have never tried persimmon but I have seen them in stores before, (The more expensive grocery stores!) with other exotics like starfruit, dragonfruit, etc…
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Can anyone tell me where i can buy black sapote also known as black persimmon here in UAE? Thanks
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