Topic for Nov. 11 ( Fri )

[suyun]

Picturesque region is perfect for persimmons: Cheongdo is the nation’s premier spot for growing a favorite autumn fruit

‘The environmental conditions of the county are ideal for the fruit.’

	Left: Gammallaengi, jelly-like treats created from persimmons. Middle: Cheongdo’s persimmons undergo a skinning process. Right: The Cheongdo Wine Tunnel provides samples of their persimmon wines [JOONGANG ILBO]

Leaves and trees aren’t the only things that undergo a seasonal transformation during the fall. As one of Korea’s favorite fruits, the persimmon is at its sweetest when it ripens into a deep red color during this season. The county of Cheongdo in particular becomes the unofficial capital of the fruit due to its countless number of persimmon trees, and it’s a common sight to see busy farmers hard at work harvesting the seasonal delights. The colorful sights and simplicities of the villages offer an ideal picture of a tranquil countryside.



A county dedicated to persimmons

Persimmons are largely categorized by their two taste variations; sweet or astringent. Sweet persimmons are loved for their crunchiness and juicy flavors, whereas the astringent variant is left to ripen due to its strong puckery characteristic.

Persimmons prefer to grow in warmer climates, and are commonly found in the southwestern part of Korea. Of all of the astringent persimmons produced in the country, which is approximately 250,000 tons, more than half are grown in North Gyeongsang. Among cities located in this region such as Sangju and Uiseong that are known for their persimmon production, Cheongdo is especially recognized for their large contribution of astringent persimmons. Of the entire number of the astringent variety produced domestically last year, about 20 percent were grown in the county. The rural area is home to 5,100 farms which contain a combined total of 2,100 hectares of land dedicated to persimmons. Yang Tae-sik, an officer at the Cheongdo Agricultural Technology Center explained, “The environmental conditions of the county are ideal for the fruit.”

The county is uniquely surrounded by mountains on all sides, making it an ideal place for growing persimmons. The temperature in the area remains steady throughout the growing season providing necessary conditions for the fruit to ripen.

The persimmons native to this area are famous for being seedless. In order to maintain the production of the seedless fruits, farmers even cut down trees that do not produce the seedless persimmons. Yang added that the environmental conditions of the area have a beneficial effect to ensure that the fruits remain seedless.

“Every morning, the fog from Cheongdo Lake blankets over the village,” said Yang. “Since the area is surrounded by mountains, the fog doesn’t lift easily. This greatly interrupts bee pollination, allowing the fruits to grow without seeds.”

The production of persimmons this year was below previous yields. This was due this particular summer being hotter than normal.

“The harvest for this year came sooner than expected,” said Jeon Min-kyu, a farmer who overlooks 20,000 square meters worth of crops. “Compared to last year, we produced less than 80 percent.”

Jeon proudly displayed the fruits of his labor, which he explained were the survivors of the harsh summer heat. From the end of October to mid-November, visitors are welcomed into the villages during the harvest with the opportunity to pick their own persimmons. While the fruits at eye-level are easy to pick, the ones perched all the way at the top of the trees require the use of a heavy pole. Though having to reach the fruits high up is a bit of a hassle, being able to taste the dedication and love that the farmers poured into growing the fruits is a great reward.

	Cheongdo makes a great travel destination for families, as they can experience picking persimmons from the many trees that grow throughout the county. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Enjoying astringent persimmons

The persimmons growing in Cheongdo resemble a flat plate, which is why it’s given the name of bansi in Korean, roughly translating to flat persimmon. Bansi are rounder and more mouth-watering than other varieties of persimmons. Due to their juiciness, they are typically not used to make gotgam, or dried persimmons, although they are a great choice to produce hongsi, which are soft and very sweet delights, or even geonsi, which are semi-dried persimmons.

Kang Ho-geun, a worker at a local persimmon manufacturing company in Cheongdo is busy at work these days producing the dried treats with the newly harvested fruits. Kang and his workers inserted the persimmons into a machine that automatically peels its skin, leaving the bare fruit behind. However, eating the fruits at this state, would be a mistake, as the astringent flavors would overwhelm the taste buds.

“Bansi should never be eaten raw,” explained Kang. “The fruits must undergo a treating process to reduce its bitterness and astringent characteristics.”

This artificial ripening process of persimmons is called talsap, and rather than reducing the unpleasant tastes, the technique increases the sweetness of the fruit, allowing the astringent flavor to become less noticeable. Persimmons that are naturally ripened lose most of their juices in the process, making this factory process preferable for edibility.

In order to produce persimmons that retain their juices while remaining sweet, they must be quickly fermented. Long ago, Koreans used to place the fruits on charcoal and rice straws for this purpose. The farmlands of Cheongdo bathe their produce in ethylene gas, otherwise known as fruit-ripening hormones. While the fermenting process may take a few days, the juices of the fruits will remain while the sweetness doubles. Persimmons that are picked from the trees at this stage will be less sweet than persimmons that undergo the talsap treatment, which turn out to be much sweeter.

Seventy percent of all bansi produced in the county are further ripened into hongsi and are shipped all over the country, while the remaining 30 percent are sold as semi-dried geonsi. The geonsi treats are created by artificially drying the persimmons via machine for up to one week. The juice content of the fruits are reduced and shipped to stores. If the round shape is retained, they are referred to as bangeonsi, and if they lose their shape, they are called gammallaengi. These can be stored in a refrigerator for up to one year.

“The older folks in Cheongdo actually prefer to give their grandchildren gammallaengi rather than gotgam,” said Kang as he referred to the treats which many find to be unpleasantly sweet. The taste of the semi-dried variation of the fruit will resemble chewing on jelly, retaining its tanginess even after a year of storage. As the treats have been a favorite among traditional Korean snacks, they are still enjoyed by people of all age groups.

The travel time by car from Seoul to Cheongdo is about four hours. For the persimmon picking experience, visit the Cheongsan Farm by making a reservation at 054-371-5610. Each 3 kilogram (6.6 pound) chest costs 10,000 won ($8.75). The Cheongdo Wine Tunnel (gamwine.com) is also worth stopping by as well. The winery produces one million bottles of persimmon wines each year, and visitors will be able taste a sample of their wine. One glass of their sweet wine costs 3,000 won. Shoppers hoping for a taste of Cheongdo’s local produce are able to purchase directly at www.nongmard.com. One box of bansi costs 10,000 won, and 1 kilogram of their gammallaengi treats cost 19,800 won. Call 02-2108-3410 for more information.