Dates, Dates and more Dates!
I have my Fannie Farmer Cookbook out tonight, - Callie peers over my shoulder as I search the index for "date" recipes...
Not my favourite cooking ingredient, but I find myself with ten cups of dates lurking in my cupboard, and I must do something with them, - something besides date squares which I would always pass over if there was some other goodie available.....
These dates arrived with an equal amount of raisins and unsalted peanuts, part of the 'loot' that was passed around the community when the summer fire fighters (whose main operational and dining room was here in Keremeos) all went home and left the cupboards bulging with supplies......
Peanuts and raisins are no problem, but what shall I do with all those dates!!
I remember the date loaves my mother used to make, and cannot truthfully say they appealed to me, but perhaps a loaf or two in the church freezer could be passed around at coffee time after meetings or services....
Fannie Farmer gives instructions for honey date and nut bars, stuffed dates and muffins. I am drawn to look up the recipe for lebkuchen (page 566) . Dense and moist, says the introduction to the actual recipe ---- good for a picnic sweet. We shall see!! (This, by the way, is not to be confused with the classic German Gingerbread type of Lebkuchen)
The recipe calls for the grated rind and juice of one lemon and two oranges, to which you add one pound of pitted dates, cut small, and let it marinate for one hour.
In the meantime you beat four eggs until light, add one pound of dark brown sugar, two cups of flour, one quarter teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of instant coffee, two teaspoons of baking powder and two teaspoons of cinnamon. Beat until well blended!!
All of this sounds fairly exotic, and makes me think of palm trees and the sheiks ladies.
However......
To continue, it is time to add one cup of walnuts to the marinating dates, and to stir them into the egg/sugar/flour mixture....which should then be spread in a 12 x 15 inch pan and baked for thirty minutes.
When cool mix up a nice icing using three tablespoons of orange juice, one teaspoon of melted butter, and a cup or more of confectioners sugar. This you spread on to the lebkuchen, which you cut it into one and one half inch squares, and pop it into the picnic basket, I guess.
Well, it sounds better than that heavy date loaf
If by chance I should try it (if I am not able to distribute this ten cups of dates among my friends who love dates) - well, if by chance I should try to make lebkuchen, I will let you know the outcome....
This is a lovely opportunity to listen to the Sheik of Araby with the Ukulele, - I'm sure there is some connection to dates -great music, at least, for all us ukulele players!!
