A sweet request.....

So at the market we meet many many people.  Some have become regulars already, many are new for the day, and a few are vendors we have become friends with.  We regularly see our friend from Mushrooms Naturally.  He has a very cool story, from Sous Chef to Mushroom farmer.  There is our friend who has a soap business with her husband, S&S Soap, the spice lady, barrel furniture guy, cutting board man, Meat market guy with Polish decent, a couple starting a farm who also just started marketing, the young couple who bake artisan bread, the lady with pottery.  And so many more!  Then there is the older gentleman who came up to ask me about Date Nut bread.  His request was for date but bread like his mother used to make.  His wife tried after the first week he asked me, I didn't have a recipe, and hers was not dark enough I guess.  So I felt bad, honestly I didn't know if he was serious,mand started researching.  I had big shoes to fill as he had not had any since his mother passed, and I felt the pressure.  I asked friends and family, searched my old church cook books, the Internet, and asked mom.  I found the basic recipe to be the same, just some minor variations.  I did not go with the recipe that called for alcohol since I wanted to start with a simple formula. And.......

Mr. Hopewell declares it is the absolutee best bread I have made.  He prefers the rich dense bread compared to the more dry cake like texture we seem to love in this country.  He liked it so much he didn't want me to sell it!  Tonight I found this.......

Just minutes after I took it from the oven!  He said when warm it tasted so similar to a traditional bread pudding from down south and I totally agree!

We will find out the verdict of my special customer this Saturday, but after his wife took three of the mini-loaves, and we promptly sold the other two I had, it seems promising that this recipe will be a hit.  I have six more loaves in the oven as I write this, and I am sure two will be gone by Saturday!  If you'd like to try, enjoy!

I cup dried dates chopped
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp baking soda

Pour boiling water over dates and baking soda.  Let the mixture cool completely.

Cream together
1/2 cup butter(softened)
1 cup sugar
1 egg

Add one cup flour, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 cup chopped walnuts.  Mix a few times to incorporate, then add the date/water/baking soda mixture.  Mix together. Bake at 350 degrees, a large loaf pan 40 minutes, mini loaves about 25-30 minutes.  The bread will appear dark and almost seem burnt in color.