Chocolate Pudding Fruit, Chapter 1

I had never eaten the fruit of Diospyros nigra before today.  It's name gives an indication of the typical persimmon fruit lifecycle - astringent and bitter when unripe, soft and sweet when ripe.

I cut the first and only fruit from my tree last week when it started to turn from green to brown.  I patiently waited until the fruit was entirely brown and the flesh started to "give."

I cut it open and was pleased to see the chocolate pudding colored flesh inside.

I grabbed a spoon.  The flesh is still very firm, almost rubbery.  The taste is anything but chocolate.  I suppose I should congratulate myself for waiting long enough that any bitterness and astringency was gone.  But my first and only chocolate pudding fruit tastes a lot like an unripe pear.

The trees are supposed to be heavy bearers.  We'll what next year brings.