Much More Than Dates

Back in the '50's perishable Christmas gifts were rare. Air shipments were not available to the hoi polloi, and refrigeration was prohibitively expensive. When California relatives did send food to our Hawaiian household, it was usually in the form of dried dates, which I did enjoy.

In recent years most of the holiday food shipments (meats, cheeses, fresh fruits) we've received require refrigeration. This year my brother, who lives in Orange County, mailed us a package of California dried fruits. I'll savor them with my morning coffee, thinking of the dates I delighted in a lifetime ago.