Persimmons are a lovely fall treat, great for making baked goods, fruit leather, pudding, jam, and other sweets—or just slicing and enjoying raw. But you can also use this autumnal fruit in more savory dishes.
The fuyu variety of persimmon, which tastes similar to an apricot or date with notes of cinnamon, is great in salads, in stews, or roasted. Fuyus are ready to eat immediately, even when slightly firm—unlike American or hachiya types, which need to be very soft and ripe to be edible. Some people prefer to peel persimmons before eating, but you don’t have to. Fuyu persimmons are available from Lee’s One Fortune Farm at Asheville City Market, Black Mountain, West Asheville, River Arts District, Weaverville, and East Asheville markets.
The cinnamon spice note in fuyu persimmons lends itself well to Middle Eastern and North African flavors. Try roasting thick slices of persimmons alongside yogurt-and-harissa-marinated chicken thighs and serving over rice pilaf. The leftovers from this meal would also make a great lunch stuffed inside a pita with cucumbers and yogurt.
Or make a tagine-style stew with lamb, chicken, or vegetables, and replace apricots with persimmons. This is a great slow cooker recipe! Just add your chosen meat or veggies (such as winter squash, carrots, or potatoes) along with chickpeas, sliced persimmons, and warm spices like cinnamon, cumin, ginger, turmeric, and paprika. Olives and raisins are also great additions. Cover with broth and simmer for several hours. Top with herbs like parsley or cilantro and sliced almonds.
You can get chicken from Wild East Farm (River Arts District Farmers Market). Dry Ridge Farm (West Asheville, North Asheville, and Asheville City) also has stew chickens, which work well for long-cooking recipes like tagine. For lamb, look for Sugar Hollow Farm at North Asheville and River Arts District markets, Good Wheel Farm at North Asheville, or Crow Fly Farms at Asheville City Market.
You can also try pairing thinly sliced persimmons with roasted beets—an assortment of red, pink, and gold—and greens for a fall salad. Get beets from many produce vendors, including Olivette Farm (Asheville City and East Asheville markets), Tiny Bridge Farm (West Asheville Tailgate Market), and Full Sun Farm (River Arts District and North Asheville markets). Dress with a red wine or citrus vinaigrette and top with your favorite local cheese. We like it with crumbled Bailey Mountain Tomme from Spinning Spider Creamery (at North Asheville and River Arts District markets).
Late summer and early fall produce continues to mingle on farmers tailgate market tables. You can get still get peppers, eggplant, beans, and maybe even the last tomatoes, alongside winter squash, apples, and cold-hardy greens like spinach, kale, and arugula. You’ll also find farm-fresh eggs, cheese, bread, pastries, fermented products, drinks, and prepared foods. As always, you can find information about farms, tailgate markets, and farm stands, including locations and hours, by visiting ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at
appalachiangrown.org.
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ASAP's mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.
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Save the date! ASAP's Business of Farming Conference will be Saturday, February 28, 2026, at A-B Tech Conference Center in Asheville, NC. Registration will open in November.
The annual Business of Farming Conference brings together professional and aspiring farmers across the Southeast region to network and share resources to grow their farm businesses. Farmers learn about marketing, business planning, and financial management from regional experts and innovative peers.
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Several WNC school districts and farms were featured in a story by Education NC about challenges and successes in local food procurement in schools, including TendWell Farm, Charlene's Garden, and Brasstown Beef. Danielle Raucheisen and Suzi Palladino from ASAP's Growing Minds team as well as ASAP board member (and Haywood Schools Nutrition Director) Alison Francis were interviewed for the story as well!
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