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Cachi, Kaki, Cachi-mela, Loto
Persimmon, Sharon Fruit
Appears in
By Antonio Carluccio and Priscilla Carluccio
Published 1997
I adore this tree, which can be found in most gardens in northern Italy, especially in Campania and Puglia where it is mostly cultivated for local use. The trees grow up to 10 m (30 ft) high and have thick, round, dark green leaves which fade before the fruit ripens. The round green apple-like fruit matures into a rich orange as it ripens and inside its very thin skin there is a gelatinous but very juicy sweet pulp with 2 or 3 large oval seeds.
The fruit is only palatable when it is very ripe but before this it has a strong taste that is heavy with tannin. It is full of vegetable proteins and sugar, and rich in vitamins A, B1 and B2. One variety, called cachi-mela, loto and legno santo (‘holy wood’) is cultivated in southern Italy, but originated from Israel where it is called sharon fruit. Unlike the variety grown in the north, it is edible when it is still hard and green and never gets soft like the other variety.