So, a little over a year ago, we published an article that included some recipes for jujubes (the May/June 2007 Recipe Box, Fill your kitchen with fresh flavors). No, she wasn’t talking about these, but jujube fruit. Another reader wrote us and we did a little more research for Mail Call and found out about the lovely jujube tree from China.
Then, not too long ago, an editor from another Ogden publication received some jujube fruit from a reader who grew them. Knowing of our jujube fascination, she brought us over a couple to try. I was really excited, because I had never heard of them before we published that article about them and had no hope of ever seeing one.
Here’s an image (with my fingers and my favorite pen for size comparison):
Sarah Vaughan, our helpful recipe provider, recommended drying the jujubes on the tree, but these were already picked when we got them. They were the most gorgeous shiny brown, and we crunched into them like they were apples.
They’re unique, but I think describable: take an apple and shape it like a plum (with a pit; see below), then remove all tartness. The texture and the outer skin were very apple-like, but the taste was just really light and sweet. I tried drying one of them, but it’s way too humid around here for unassisted drying to work (blech), but I kept a pit to take a photo of.Â
My job rocks!
