Todd Rose sells hoshigaki (dried persimmons) and donates proceeds to charity

12/4/24 update from Todd: “The article [on InMenlo] helped bring in new customers who all bought a healthy amount of hoshigaki, enabling me to blow away my target and raise $540 for Feeding America. I made the donation on Giving Tuesday to take advantage of generous donor matching to double the impact.”

Menlo Park resident Todd Rose’s backyard is home to a huge persimmon tree, which is decades old. It inspired him to make hoshigaki, a Japanese delicacy made by peeling and hang-drying persimmons and massaging them gently over the course of 5-6 weeks, until the fructose in the fruit comes to the surface and creates a sweet, sugary glaze.

“People who watched Shogun would have seen hanging persimmons,” he says

It was through trial and error that Todd learned to make hoshigaki, which he says is growing in popularity in the U.S.

“I do this as a hobby, and have no intent on making a profit,” he says. “So I am repeating a charitable exercise I did a few years ago: I am donating 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this year’s batch to Feeding America. My goal is to raise $400.”

He’s selling 1/2 pounds (5 to 6 persimmons) for $20.

“Philanthropy is about giving your skill, not just your money,” he says.

To purchase some persimmons, contact Todd at plastictr@hotmail.com.

Photos courtesy of Todd Rose (c) 2024