I bought some vanilla persimmons (PLU #669220) and would like to know more about them. Much to my surprise there is very little information on this fruit, none of which was scholarly. What I found: A passion for persimmons Italian persimmons sale in variety Kaki tipo and Rojo brillante. The second article provides some clues as it uses "vaniglia" and "dyospyros Lotus" (sic) in reference to the fruit. Vaniglia is a cultivar of Diospyros kaki while Diospyros lotus is a distinct species. Another point of confusion revolves around the spelling of 'Vaniglia' as there are also references to 'Vainiglia'. Can someone provide an authoritative answer as to which species this fruit belongs to? EDIT I think Diospyros lotus can be ruled out as its fruit is described as being 1-2 cm in diameter.
Vaniglia is a cultivar that can be eaten before it becomes soft....it's sweet even if still hard. It can also become soft, and usually has a darker pulp..
I found it better tasting than Fuyu but Hachiya is still my favorite, even with the need to wait for the astringency to go away.
