February 4, 2020

3418 SLOVENIA (Slovene Littoral) - Persimmons harvesting in Strunjan


Strunjan is a coastal town in the Municipality of Piran, situated between Piran and Izola, in the valley of the river Roja, along the saltpans and in the nearby hills. The favourable natural conditions of the peninsula of Strunjan, especially the sea climate and its leeward position, made it possible for man to settle here and develop traditional economic activities in harmony with nature. The local population cultivates grapes, produces wine, grows fruit and early vegetables.

The valley has numerous orchards of persimmon and in November they also organize the Persimmon feast, where they present this fruit and its culinary uses. Strunjan has a low rainfall rate and characteristically mild winters with high, but still moderate summer temperatures. The number of sunny days is high. For the past few decades persimmons have had a special place here. The persimmon tree (Diospyros kaki), native to China, came to Strunjan from Italy. 

In astringent cultivars (cultivated varieties), the fruit has a high proanthocyanidin-type tannin content which makes the immature fruit astringent and bitter. The tannin levels are reduced as the fruit matures. The fruit of those cultivars is not edible in its crisp, firm state; they're edible when soft ripe. The ripe fruit has a soft jelly-like consistency. The Japanese 'Hachiya' is a widely grown astringent cultivar. Other cultivars, such as 'Fuyu', do not contain tannins when firm. Those can be eaten like an apple or can be allowed to go to any stage of ripeness, including to the jelly-like stage. These non-astringent varieties are, however, considered to have a less complex flavor.

About the stamp
The stamp is part of the series Fruit species in Slovenia, designed by Irena Gubanc and issued on March 22, 2013.
Jujube / Ziziphus jujuba (0.60 EUR)
Common fig / Ficus carica (0.64 EUR)
Loquat / Eriobotrya japonica (0.92 EUR) - It's on the postcard 3418
Sorb tree / Sorbus domestica (0.97 EUR)

References
Diospyros kaki - Wikipedia
Strunjan, an unspoiled town in the embrace of nature and energy - hoteli-bernardin.si

Sender: Slavica Radej (direct swap)
Sent from Brestanica (Styria / Slovenia), on 29.08.2017
Photo: Ubald Trnkoczy / Zaloznik: Katika Vukovic  

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