About Us
History of the Orchard
Kathleen Haven, a specialist persimmon orchard, is nestled in the picturesque Cobbitty village some 35kms south of Sydney in NSW. This third generation family farm is run by Brett and Kate Guthrey assisted by their sons. Their passion for food and love of the land led them to developing and specialising in this incredible fruit. Brett’s grandfather , Harry Wright and uncle David Wright planted the first persimmons in Kathleen Haven’s soil over 30 years ago.
Men with vision, they were looking to incorporate something exotic into the then primarily stonefruit orchard.
After a brief career in catering Brett and Kate settled at the family farm. Brett was captivated by the persimmon from the start and with the support of his grandfather and uncle and the wealth of knowledge they had accumulated over 40 years of producing quality fruit, he set about increasing persimmon production. Kate was hooked from her first taste and wishing to share this divine experience, has built up an extensive knowledge on uses for the persimmon .
Today Kathleen Haven, a market leader, specialises solely in growing persimmons. As producers of both types of this sumptuous fruit Kathleen Haven is not only unique but also commands a high level of expertise. Brett and Kate have travelled extensively both in Australia and overseas to increase their expertise and deliver a consistently premium quality product
ABOUT PERSIMMONS
There are two different types of persimmons, both with very different qualities and characteristics, a fact not widely known and one that has led to a lot of confusion.
It is the versatility that comes with the distinction of two very different types of persimmon that make this fruit so uniquely special. The two types of persimmon are:
1. Those that must be very soft before they are ready for eating – these are ‘astringent’ persimmons known as classic persimmons or heartfruit.**
2. Those that can be eaten when the flesh is still hard – these are ‘non-astringent’ persimmons known as sweet* persimmons.
All persimmons are in fact astringent (high in tannins) when they are unripe, it is just that the tannins in the flesh of the non-astringent varieties break down much earlier. For non-astringent persimmons this occurs when the fruit changes colour whereas astringent persimmons must be fully ripened and soft.
*Sweet refers to the fruit whilst the flesh is still firm distinguishing it as ready to eat.
**Heartfruit refers to the unusual shape of these persimmons all of which are to be eaten soft Sadly the persimmon is often eaten inappropriately – for instance by eating an astringent persimmon when hard, consequently the fruit is not fully appreciated and, as any persimmon connoisseur will tell you, you will miss out on the full enjoyment a persimmon can give you!
TYPES OF PERSIMMON
The persimmon, a fruit for the connoisseur, not only has incredible flavour and amazing versatility but with a depth of colour in warm autumn tones it is also beautiful to look at.
Diospyros Kaki is the botanical name for persimmon and diospyros literally translates to ‘food of the gods ’in Greek. Once tasted its not hard to imagine the gods dining on this exquisitely delectable fruit prepare for a divine experience!
Heart Fruit
There are two proverbs that apply to the Hachiya (heart fruit) “patience is a virtue” and “good things come to those who wait” Although waiting for this heart fruit to ripen into its edible state can be agonising it is definitely worth it. Allowing time for this is important as many a persimmon connoisseur has been put off by the furriness left in the mouth by eating a persimmon that is not entirely ripe.
Handy tip: Utilise the beauty of the persimmon by making a decorative display while waiting!
Heart fruit is ready when the skin becomes transparent and they feel like a water balloon – simply hold in two hands, split the skin with your thumbs raise to your mouth and enjoy or cut in half and scoop out the honey like pulp with a spoon or puree and top.
Handy tip: The softening process can be sped up by putting the heart fruit in a sealed plastic bag with apples. Recommended weight ratio is 1:10 i.e 100g apples to 1 kg persimmons Sweet Persimmon
Fuyu Fruit
Fuyu (sweet persimmon) are best eaten firm. They have the crispness of an apple with the texture of a pear but with a delightful sweetness that surpasses both. No need to peel the sweet persimmon, just remove the calyx and let your tastebuds be impressed.
Handy tip: Sliced horizontally, the Fuyu reveals a beautiful star-shaped marking!
