Dried Fruits

Drying has always been an important way of preserving fruit. Today, dried fruits are one of the principal flavoring ingredients of much European and American baking, as well as in stuffings and salads of Middle Eastern origin.

Common dried fruits include black and white raisins from several varieties of grape, notably the succulent Muscat; currants from small seedless grapes, and prunes from pitted or unpitted plums. Dried apples, peaches, pears, figs and apricots (especially the tiny Hunza variety) are good poached to serve with ice cream or custard, or as a side dish for rich meats. Dried apricots and prunes are used frequently in Middle Eastern and Persian lamb dishes. In the United States, dried cherries and blueberries are a recent innovation.