Have you noticed the Japanese persimmon tree in the gardens of the Villa Barone? This is a lovely small tree with large leaves that redden up in the fall before stripping down.
When all leaves have fallen off, only the fruits remain on the tree. These are of a beautiful red-orange color and one could mistake them for tomatoes. They are named “khakis”, a word of Japanese origin.
The “khakis” are delicious fruits with a tasty and beautifully sweet translucent flesh! We have put some of them on our antipasti buffet table during October, for our Guests to taste!
There are several persimmons in Villa le Barone, the largest lying next to the pool, the others all across in the several gardens.
Originating from China where it began to be cultivated around the year 1300, the “Diospyros kaki” is also cultivated in Japan. It’s Matteo Ricci, one of the first Jesuits to enter China, who brought this tree back to Europe in the late 17th century. Its culture then spread in warm regions around the Mediterranean basin. Persimmons grow well in areas where olive and fig trees grow as well and this is the case with Villa le Barone.
There are many species of fruit trees (persimmon but also apricot, loquat, plum, fig, cherry…) in Hotel Villa le Barone’s vast gardens…. Come to discover them and taste their fruits straight from the tree!