Persimmons are among the most treasured of autumn fruits. Their vibrant orange skins beckon at the market. But for the uninitiated, persimmons can be at best mysterious and at worst potentially unpleasant or even dangerous. Once you know how to work with them, though, persimmons can become an obsession.

By and large, you will only find two major categories of persimmons at markets here in the states: Fuyu and hachiya. They both have bright orange skins, but that’s where the similarity ends.

Fuyus tend to be squat, like flat tomatoes. When ripe, they blush from yellow to a bold orange leaning toward red, and will soften very slightly (unripe fuyus are rock-hard). These are firm-fleshed, and can be eaten out of hand, like an apple. They’re crisp and sweet, with a flavor reminiscent of brown sugar and cinnamon. We love them in salads, diced and topped on oatmeal, or just whole as a handy snack.

Hachiyas are elongated and come to a point, like the ones pictured above. When unripe, they are firm — and be careful, as they cannot be eaten at this stage. Unripe hachiyas are full of tannins, which make them extremely unpalatable. If you’ve ever accidentally bitten into an unripe hachiya, you know what we mean. Tannins are extremely astringent, and will fill your mouth with a chalky texture that leaves sweaters on your teeth. Consumption of these tannins can coagulate in the stomach, creating an indigestible mass called a “foodball.” Sounds delicious, right?

Not to worry. Just leave hachiyas resting on their shoulders, pointy-side up, and they will naturally ripen on their own. As they do, the flesh softens and the tannins abate. A ripe hachiya is extremely soft and squishy. When you cut into it, the flesh should be transparent and jelly-like. At this stage they will be extremely sweet. Ripe hachiyas were used as a sweetener in Japan long before the introduction of sugar. This sweet pulp is a fantastic base for cookies, breads and other sweet baked goods.

Both varieties may have black patches on the skin. This is the effect of mild sunburning of the fruit, and in no way affects the flavor of the fruit. Just peel away the blackened bits, and use the rest of the fruit as you like.

In Japan, unripe hachiyas are peeled and hung to dry in cool places with good air circulation. As they dry, the flesh goes leathery. Caretakers gently massage the fruit as it withers, redistributing sugars within the fruit. Eventually, a powdery sugar bloom appears on the surface. The resulting dried fruit, called hoshigaki, is commonly used as a tea sweet in Japan. Because of their labor intensiveness and relative scarcity, they fetch spectacular prices. However, with the right conditions and patience, you can make your own.