| Phred |
G'day Bob,
I was curious about your comment "many people have a closed mind about
dates". Is this some American thing? Can't say I've noticed it here
(but perhaps I'm too much the recluse :).
Is there a reason for it? (I can only jump to geopolitical "reasons",
such as they grow the things in California. :)
In article <4196a1a2$0$32602$45beb828@newscene.com>,
"Bob" <virtualgoth@die_spammer.com> wrote:
[Snipped cookie recipe.]
Cheers, Phred.
--
ppnerkDELETE@THISyahoo.com.INVALID
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| Wayne Boatwright |
ppnerkDELETETHIS@yahoo.com (Phred) wrote in news:2vp854F2ock1qU2@uni-
berlin.de:
> G'day Bob,
>
> I was curious about your comment "many people have a closed mind about
> dates". Is this some American thing? Can't say I've noticed it here
> (but perhaps I'm too much the recluse :).
>
> Is there a reason for it? (I can only jump to geopolitical "reasons",
> such as they grow the things in California. :)
Why would that be a reason?
>
> In article <4196a1a2$0$32602$45beb828@newscene.com>,
> "Bob" <virtualgoth@die_spammer.com> wrote:
> [Snipped cookie recipe.]
>
>
>
>
> Cheers, Phred.
>
--
Wayne in Phoenix
*If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.
*A mind is a terrible thing to lose.
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| Bob |
Phred wrote:
> I was curious about your comment "many people have a closed mind about
> dates". Is this some American thing? Can't say I've noticed it here
> (but perhaps I'm too much the recluse :).
>
> Is there a reason for it? (I can only jump to geopolitical "reasons",
> such as they grow the things in California. :)
I don't know if it takes place elsewhere. I know it *doesn't* take place in
the Middle East, where dates are favored, but it definitely takes place
here. I can only guess that the reason for it is that people here are more
familiar with raisins and they don't want to try other things.
Bob
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| Christopher Green |
On Sun, 14 Nov 2004 14:25:35 GMT, ppnerkDELETETHIS@yahoo.com (Phred)
wrote:
>G'day Bob,
>
>I was curious about your comment "many people have a closed mind about
>dates". Is this some American thing? Can't say I've noticed it here
>(but perhaps I'm too much the recluse :).
>
>Is there a reason for it? (I can only jump to geopolitical "reasons",
>such as they grow the things in California. :)
Maybe something to do with the limited selection and quality of dates
in much of the country? If all you can get is nasty dried-out or
rehydrated supermarket dates, it would probably turn you off to them.
California has a long tradition of date farming (well, long for
California, anyway) and, more recently, large Middle Eastern minority
communities that demand high-quality dates. Thus the quality and
variety of dates available here took my in-laws completely by surprise
when they moved west.
These Date Bars are sort of a filled shortbread. They make up fine
with supermarket dates. But use good dates like Medjool or "Shields
Brunette" and they turn into something quite wonderfully better.
Filling:
3 c. cut-up dates
1/4 c. sugar (even if you have super-sweet dates, use a little sugar
to help the filling set up)
1-1/2 c. water
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 10
minutes), and set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Dough:
3/4 c. butter (or shortening, if you must)
1 c. brown sugar (or date sugar, if you're lucky enough to have some)
1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour (I prefer unbleached), sifted with:
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 c. rolled oats (not instant; quick oats are OK if that's what
you have)
Cream butter and sugar; mix in flour/soda/salt and then oats. The
dough will be crumbly. Grease a 9x13 inch pan and press half the dough
into the pan. Cover with filling, then crumble remaining dough over
the filling; you can pat it lightly to arrange it.
Bake until lightly browned, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cut and remove
from pan when cool enough to handle.
--
Chris Green
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| Phred |
In article <ob2gp05vioa94d4vddrv6dvj7klafiqjmo@4ax.com>, Christopher Green <cj.green@att.net> wrote:
>On Sun, 14 Nov 2004 14:25:35 GMT, ppnerkDELETETHIS@yahoo.com (Phred)
>wrote:
>
>>I was curious about [Bob's] comment "many people have a closed mind about
>>dates". Is this some American thing? Can't say I've noticed it here
>>(but perhaps I'm too much the recluse :).
>>
>>Is there a reason for it? (I can only jump to geopolitical "reasons",
>>such as they grow the things in California. :)
>
>Maybe something to do with the limited selection and quality of dates
>in much of the country? If all you can get is nasty dried-out or
>rehydrated supermarket dates, it would probably turn you off to them.
>
>California has a long tradition of date farming (well, long for
>California, anyway) and, more recently, large Middle Eastern minority
>communities that demand high-quality dates. Thus the quality and
>variety of dates available here took my in-laws completely by surprise
>when they moved west.
Thanks for your response, Chris. I must say I'm quite partial to
those "supermarket" dates as found here in Oz. The best of these seem
to come from Iran/Iraq (hence my previous comment :). Certainly, they
*can* be a bit dry, but you can usually tell if they're okay by a
surreptitious squeeze of the bag before purchase.
I'm quite happy to eat the things as they come; but I also like them
layered on bread and butter sandwiches. :-)
The Californian product available here is sold as "fresh" dates, but
I've often found them to be verging on rancid and don't think they're
worth the price. [Incidentally, the seeds in these Californian dates
are often still viable -- not sure what *that* says about quarantine
controls, or perhaps there's no restriction on them anyway.]
>These Date Bars are sort of a filled shortbread. They make up fine
>with supermarket dates. But use good dates like Medjool or "Shields
>Brunette" and they turn into something quite wonderfully better.
If I ever get the oven fixed I'll have to give these a try!
>Filling:
>3 c. cut-up dates
>1/4 c. sugar (even if you have super-sweet dates, use a little sugar
>to help the filling set up)
>1-1/2 c. water
>Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 10
>minutes), and set aside to cool.
>
>Preheat oven to 400F.
>
>Dough:
>3/4 c. butter (or shortening, if you must)
>1 c. brown sugar (or date sugar, if you're lucky enough to have some)
>1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour (I prefer unbleached), sifted with:
>1/2 tsp. baking soda
>1/2 tsp. salt
>1-1/2 c. rolled oats (not instant; quick oats are OK if that's what
>you have)
>Cream butter and sugar; mix in flour/soda/salt and then oats. The
>dough will be crumbly. Grease a 9x13 inch pan and press half the dough
>into the pan. Cover with filling, then crumble remaining dough over
>the filling; you can pat it lightly to arrange it.
>
>Bake until lightly browned, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cut and remove
>from pan when cool enough to handle.
Cheers, Phred.
--
ppnerkDELETE@THISyahoo.com.INVALID
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| Christopher Green |
ppnerkDELETETHIS@yahoo.com (Phred) wrote in message news:<2vrga3F2oibvfU1@uni-berlin.de>...
[snip]
> Thanks for your response, Chris. I must say I'm quite partial to
> those "supermarket" dates as found here in Oz. The best of these seem
> to come from Iran/Iraq (hence my previous comment :). Certainly, they
> *can* be a bit dry, but you can usually tell if they're okay by a
> surreptitious squeeze of the bag before purchase.
You're fortunate. The dates that make it to supermarkets in California
are often second-rate local ones that have been in storage, dried out,
and rehydrated.
> I'm quite happy to eat the things as they come; but I also like them
> layered on bread and butter sandwiches. :-)
>
> The Californian product available here is sold as "fresh" dates, but
> I've often found them to be verging on rancid and don't think they're
> worth the price. [Incidentally, the seeds in these Californian dates
> are often still viable -- not sure what *that* says about quarantine
> controls, or perhaps there's no restriction on them anyway.]
That's not good. Dates shouldn't have sat around long enough to go
off. Lots of California export produce is not the first-rate goods,
unfortunately.
[snip]
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Chris Green
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