On a Date

An unexpected pleasure I've discovered recently is the humble date. Since childhood I've been wary & suspicious of this natural food. Anything that resembles a dead cockroach or a part of the male anatomy (this was Shawn's recent observation) is easy to pass up. I also had difficulty differentiating dates from prunes which to me resemble large raisins. Raisins are another food that I'm not fond of except maybe the chocolate-covered version. In addition to this I also took an extreme dislike to fig neutons as a child and I've noticed "figs & dates" to be almost synonymous in conversation. Date squares looked unappealing when compared with the sugary and chocolaty alternatives.

You can imagine how surprising it was for me to discover that I actually like dates! The wooing began with my introduction to Yuckies (see "Nana, Llove You") and later with the making of homemade Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Cookies (see "Cookies"). A new appreciation for this naturally sweet fruit was born.

Under my sister's advisement I bought a better brand of dates that are larger than the initial ones I tried from the Bulk Barn. These Medjool dates are imported from Israel. The cashier's assistant at Costco informed me that a local store he knows of that brings in the best, fresh dates that he has ever tasted. Seems even dates can vary in quality...and price. Who knew?

Later I spotted a product I had never noticed before and even if I did, I wouldn't have been interested. It was pureed dates and almonds rolled in shredded coconut. Three ingredients and that is all. This product was made with Medjool dates too so I purchased a package and was delighted with it's taste. Even my daughter enjoyed it. Predictably my husband and son rejected the treat after a manditory taste test. Oh well, more dates for me!