"prunes" news and stories

I actually like prunes. They're one of those foods that a lot of people are supposed to hate, like spinach or anchovies, but I actually like the taste. But it's also one of those food that I like it in its whole, solid form, yet can't stand as prune juice or in a dessert. Go figure.

January is Prune Breakfast Month, which I think means that you have to eat prunes for breakfast. Go eat prunes! That sounds like a healthy thing to do. Maybe you can have them in a Prune Apple Smoothie or in cereal. Or how about these Fat Free Mini Prune Honey Muffins?

For those of you looking to get your morning fix of fiber, Sunsweet has released "Ones", a canister containing individually wrapped prunes. Yes, a single solitary little prune all wrapped up alone. The question that immediately comes to mind of course is why? I can only assume they are using a form of plastic for the individual wrappers, but even with environmental issues aside for a moment, is it really that difficult to just grab a single prune out of a pack if that is what you are looking for? Or have we, as consumers, become so blatantly lazy that we have to have every single thing packaged individually all ready to go for us?

I also find it kind of ironic that according to the nutritional information provided on their website, they list one serving as "about 4 prunes". So why not package them in packs of four then? I understand that companies have to keep reinventing themselves, whether it is the packaging, the actual product, or the marketing thereof, but this seems to be a bit much.

Besides, think of all the extra time it will take you to unwrap each one if you are making this dish.

(Thanks, Roger!)

A London auction house is offering part of a collection of war-time spy memorabilia owned by the late Doreen Mulot, who was a member of Britain's Special Operations during World War II. One of the most unusual pieces in the collection? A pair of aged prunes.  The now hardened fruits were originally intended to carry messages to prisoners of war. After being softened in water, the pit of the prune would be removed and a message - usually maps or escape plans - sealed in waxed paper would be inserted inside. The prunes would be re-dried and shipped out.

Mulot's great nephew is the one offering the prunes and assorted other memorabilia for sale. He described the plans as being "quite ingenious, [and] not the sort of thing you usually associate with fighting a war." This particular pair of prunes was not used during the war, but were simply kept as a souvenir of Mulot's service.

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I drooled when I saw this photo. And then I read a little more closely and saw this odd word. It started with a "p" and then went on with a "r," a "u," ... could it be, "prunes?"

Yep. Josh Friedland has done the barely possible and converted a "prunophobe" (his wife) with a delicious-looking dish of prunes simmered in port, then served over mascarpone. Sounds like something that should be put in a slow cooker. Hmmm...

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