Even when fresh fruit is available, dried fruit provides a sweet, tasty snack that keeps well without refrigeration and is portable. Dried apricots, raisins, dates and other dried fruits make good, healthy additions to kids' lunch boxes and can't be beat for camping trips. Because all fruit can be dried, experiment with some of the less commonly known dried fruits such as blackberries, blueberries, mangoes and others that might not grow near your home. Does this Spark an idea?
History
Before people had refrigerators, drying food was one of the most common and widespread methods of preserving food. In ancient Egypt, early farmers learned turn grapes into raisins and helped to popularize this dried fruit. Christopher Columbus packed raisins among his ships' food supplies, and the Pilgrims who settled North America relied on many dried food items, not only for their own sustenance but also for their farm animals, which ate dried corn and other grains. In later years, George Washington is said to have enjoyed raisins at his home in Mount Vernon. In 1881, the first immigrants with knowledge of making raisins arrived in Fresno, California, where this dried fruit became a major agricultural industry. Raisins even took a ride into space with astronaut Scott Carpenter in 1962. In the 1980s, the animated California singing raisins found television fame.
Types, Uses, Make
Almost any type of fruit can be dried. The most common and popular dried fruits are raisins, prunes, dates, apricots, apples, figs, bananas, peaches and pineapple. Chopped dried fruit is a popular addition to breakfast cereals, trail mix, cookies and other baked goodies. From the raisins in your oatmeal cookies to the dried apricots in your lunch bag, dried fruit is often with us every day in one form or another. Three major methods exist for drying fruit: sun drying, oven drying and dehydrating fruit with the help of an electric dehydrator. If you want to try drying fruit, lay it on screen in a single layer and then set it in the sun for three or four very hot, sunny days. Or cook it in your oven below 200 degrees F for 12 hours or longer---you'll need to check it. But don't expect the results to be as good as when you use an electric dehydrator. Dehydrators are recommended as the best method because they give a low, steady temperature with good air circulation.
Raisins
Raisins are made from grapes (Vitis vinifera), often from the Thompson seedless variety, although other types are sometimes used. They are the most common and popular dried fruit used in cookies, candies, cakes, cereals and many other products and recipes. Even Indian curry is often garnished with raisins. Aside from tasting good and containing high amounts of iron, raisins contain polyphenolic chemical compounds, which researchers believe have antioxidant benefits. Raisins are also high in sugar---1/4 cup of these juicy morsels has about 125 calories. They have no cholesterol and do provide some calcium.
Dates
Dates are the ultra-sweet fruit of the date palm tree (Phoenix dactylifera). The date palm is thought to be native to North Africa and the Persian Gulf, where they have been cultivated for thousands of years. Today, large date palm plantations are located in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Iran. In desert regions of southern California, several varieties of dates are grown commercially. They include Jumbo Medjool, Deglet Noor and Barhee/Barhi, which includes the Khalal or Yellow Barhee date.
Dates contain large quantities of fiber and protein, in addition to plenty of iron and Vitamin C. But for people who are watching their waistlines, be aware that dates are high in sugar and that only five to six small dates contain 120 calories.
Apricots
Apricots (Prunus armeniaca) are related to the peach. It is believed that the first wild apricot was native to China. Spanish explorers introduced this fruit to California in the 1700s and planted trees at the missions they built. In what is now called Silicon Valley, the Santa Clara Valley of Northern California was a major growing area for apricots, many of which were sun dried for sale to commercial markets. Today, the majority of California's apricots are in the San Joaquin Valley.
Dried apricots contain high concentration of fiber and many nutrients, such as vitamins C and A and potassium. The pits contain Vitamin B17, or laetrile, which some people believe can help fight cancer. One cup of dried apricot halves contains more than 300 calories.
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