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March 13, 2006
Figs and Dates
Whole Foods has been the source of two fruit fetishes of mine over the past year. First, I discovered organic figs while on my endless search for snacks to eat during work. Recently, at the same counter, I discovered organic dates. Now I constantly mix the two up, so if this blog entry makes no sense just substitute one for the other.
A little history: I am, and always have been, constantly hungry. I have to maintain a survival strategy while stationed at a cubicle during the day. I keep snacks like banana chips or granola stashed away in my desk. I live in fear of being caught without something interesting to snack on. It's a wonder I'm not obese. I try to keep healthy snacks nearby to fend off trips to the vending machine, since our vending machine is stocked with unworthy chocolate and regrettable experiments: Reses bars with caramel, for instance, or Snickers pieces. It's a necessary strategy.
I think I'm also still getting over a childhood-inspired amazement about just how much food (and good chocolate) is available in the wide world, and how much I can afford to buy. I no longer have to satisfy my cravings with cous-cous (a favorite after-school snack in elementary school). I went through an entire bag of Cadbury mini-eggs last week in blissful self-indulgence (until the headache and stomachache kicked in, anyway).
Back to the (organic) figs and dates. For a while, they kept me away from the chocolate and Skittles at work. Both can be bought at Whole Foods at exorbitant prices and eaten right out of the box. The figs are wonderful -- they're sweet, but not too sweet, they have a nice texture. The structure and color is pretty, too, if you slice them open. Not every fig will be perfectly sweet and ripe -- you have to pick out the duds. Still, they're fine on their own. I had a little fig fetish over the summer and always meant to cook with them, but never got around to it since I had eaten them all by the time I got home.
With dates, I feel like I have discovered candy that grows on trees. They're very sweet and gooey, like caramel that still has the tannic quality of undissolved sugar. First, I ate them during work, wondering if anyone thought it was strange that I was eating black turd-like fruit. Then I brought them home and started eating them for breakfast and dessert. And snacks. I would reach a saturation point and then crave them desperately the next day. I know I've had figs before and haven't found them quite as good -- there was a taste I didn't like. I'm wondering if my tastes have changed or Whole Foods just has better dates. My mother tells that she made the same discovery at my age, so maybe it's genetic (she also tells me a creative affair with balsa wood is inevitable and I, ahem, just recently bought some).
Wikipedia has interesting information about figs and dates. Dates, for instance, may have been cultivated since 6000 BC. Eve's apple may have been a fig (this explains everything). They're also good for you.
My next, somewhat more exotic fruit experiment will be the cherimoya, purchased at the Coop yesterday. We're supposed to check it daily and eat it when it's soft, like an avocado.
Posted by csageday at March 13, 2006 10:05 PM
Comments
I also have tried figs long ago when I was younger and did not like them. Maybe I ought to try again. I have always liked dates. Thanks for the post!
Posted by: Chocoholic at March 23, 2006 11:40 AM