2012 Hoshigaki Mail Order Form

Hoshigaki in Gift Boxes

Hoshigaki and unpeeled hachiya persimmons

The new 2012 Hoshigaki Mail Order Form is now posted here on the website, under the "Hoshigaki/Persimmons" tab.  If you'd like to mail order hoshigaki (Japanese hand-dried persimmon) this year, please print out the order form and mail it back to us.

The continuing warm weather seems to be ripening the persimmons earlier than usual. We started peeling the first hachiya persimmons over the weekend.  Peeling is the first step in the hoshigaki process.  The persimmons need to be fully orange, but still firm enough to peel.  The peeled fruits are hung by their stems in pairs and massaged every few days to help them to dry evenly.  After peeling, each fruit takes around six weeks to dry, depending on the weather.  By the end of the drying process, each persimmon has developed a dusting of natural powdered sugar on its surface, and is soft and sweet.

Please keep in mind that because of these natural processes and weather variables, orders may take 8 to 12 weeks to ship.  It's important to get your order in as soon as possible, because supplies are limited to what we can produce while the weather permits.