Fruit Basket Case

The warmth of summer is gone and with it our delicious local summer fruit. I was just starting to get used to fresh, juicy peaches, nectarines, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries and I can’t quite accept the fact that we won’t be having any more (at least none that are worth eating) until next year. With autumn setting in and cold weather upon us, our veritable fresh fruit fantasyland has dried up and left us with those humdrum standbys, apples, oranges and pears. Booooring. I don’t know about you, but the thought of eating these fruits makes me want to scream. Oh, the monotony! I crave something more exotic. One place to turn, at least until Satsuma season starts, is dried fruit.

 

Philippine brand mangoes

You’ll momentarily forget about the overcast skies when you pop one of these little bites of sunshine into your mouth. Your teeth sink into the soft, meaty flesh and suddenly you’re bathed in warmth. These are the best dried mangoes I’ve ever had. Succulent and tangy, they are a bit heavy on the sugar but I’ve never been one to shy away from a little sweetness. Be careful, as it’s hard not to compulsively eat the whole bag. My friend Dr. Jones will never forget the time we went out to Poulsbo to visit a friend with a large bag of these mangoes in the car. I was behind the wheel and every time I looked over at her the bag was a little emptier. It didn’t take long before she was doubled over in her seat, moaning and cursing the deliciousness of these mangoes. She must have eaten about ten servings worth. I do not advise this.

 

Sunridge Farm’s Wild Ginger Harvest Mix

This is a heavenly trail mix that consists of chocolate chips, ginger, tamari almonds, cranberries, papaya, roasted cashews, raisins, pineapple and apricots (PCC, bulk bin #3612). It’s the best damn trail mix out there. The chocolate chips are top quality and there is no skimping on the ginger. The chewy spiciness of ginger is great with chocolate’s soft sweetness—throw some savory almonds into the mix and you’ve got yourself one good snack.

 

Black Sphinx dates

I love biting into a date, the teeth momentarily resisted by the thin, papery skin before breaking through and plunging into soft meatiness. The Black Sphinx are a step above the rest, being thicker, softer and less stringy than other dates I’ve tried. They can be a bit harder to come by than other varieties but are definitely worth holding out for. I’ve seen them sold at Whole Foods.