Not, I'm not talking about the retro movie theater candy that'll take your molars out. I'm talking about the fruit, also known as the Chinese date, which has recently been popping up as an ingredient in upscale American restaurants. Jujubes were first cultivated in China about 4,000 years ago; they now grow across Asia, the Middle East, and in the southern and southwestern United States. The immature fruit is green and tastes like an apple, but turns red as it reaches maturity. Older jujubes are wrinkled and purple, resembling dried plums. Jujubes are said to have medicinal properties, doing everything from curing sore throats to making people fall in love. Jujubes can be used like apples in pies or cakes; older fruits work well in Moroccan-style chicken or lamb dishes as a substitute for prunes or apricots.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-30-2008 @ 5:33PM
badfrog said...
I have been using these for a couple of decades in medicinal compounds, and they do work well as a demulcent and balancing agent. The taste is not really anything to write home about, a little sweet and somehow musty, plus the texture is somewhat mealy. I could see them as part of a dessert with honey and citrus, with maybe toasted black sesame seeds as garnish.
Chinese wolfberries (acai) are quite a bit better.
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9-30-2008 @ 6:16PM
Scott said...
Yay Jujubes! I found them at a local Korean market last year and I knew just what they were. Hell, I tried to plant a couple of trees in northern indiana several years ago, but the father mowed them down. My chestnut tree still grows..
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