Every day is a school day - for me!

I'm amazed at the things I'm learning here! Today, the lesson plan for my classes at the elementary school was faxed to me. It had drawings of some fruits and vegetables for me to teach the students on Thursday. One was of a persimmon (I had to ask another teacher for this answer!). I have heard of the word "persimmon" and somehow knew how to spell it. But I don't know what a persimmon is! So tonight when I got home, I looked it up on wikipedia (the source of all knowledge). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persimmon Apparently it's a fruit that's like a date and plum. Still don't know what it is.

But according to wikipedia - "The persimmon also figures prominently in American culinary tradition. It can be used in cookies, cakes, puddings, salads and as a topping for breakfast cereal. Persimmon pudding is a dessert using fresh persimmons. An annual persimmon festival, featuring a persimmon pudding contest, is held every September in Mitchell, Indiana."

Now I ask you - have any of you ever had a persimmon?? Much less been to this festival? Am I alone in my persimmon ignorance? I need to try one of these. In fact there is a tree full of fruit that I pass every day on the way to work and every day I wonder what kind of fruit it is. Maybe it's a persimmon!!