Native Epicurean: FREE! Sun-Maid Cookbook

Sun-Maid Raisins - School Box Sized

So, I'm not the biggest raisin fan, but I love mixed golden raisins and salted roasted peanut. I also am aware that eating raisins by themselves is, for most, a thing of the past. For some, memories of looking forward to, receiving, and eating from your own personal child-sized box of raisins has been warped with the smell of crayons, chalk dust, and the taste of Elmer's Glue. However, I have recently discovered the merits of raisins. Namely, they can be stored safely for a ridiculously long period of time and they have enough natural fruit sugar to allow you to lessen the sugar in certain recipes. Sure, some raisin-producing companies add sugar, but you can always look for the organic and naturally produced/preserved raisins elsewhere. Or, better yet, make them yourself using a food dehydrator and/or a convection oven.

In any case, there is currently an offer for a FREE Sun-Maid Cookbook. They actually give you two choices of cookbooks: 100th Anniversary Cookbook or New Taste of Tradition. I'm not sure how great the recipes are yet, but I did order my free copy! Click on the link above or visit: http://www.rebate-zone.com/sunmaid/recipes/

On past visits to Pennsylvania, I have seen diners offering slices of raisin pie and I feel that I should get in touch with raisin dishes and thereby the country-Americana-homeyness that these dishes seem to offer. Whenever I see a raisin dish, it seems like a Depression-era throwback. Not sure why, since I was popping open little red boxes only as early as the 80's and have no experiential knowledge of Depression-era raisins. ;o)

So with that in mind, and just because I couldn't resist, here's an old Sun-Maid Raisins ad that just set me to giggling when I saw it!