Years ago my cousin gave me her recipe for date nut bread. It was a staple at our Thanksgiving get togethers, and since she passed away in 2000, I treasure the handwritten card as well as the recipe itself. The technique is one I have not seen in other quick breads: it involves pouring boiling water over dried dates, sugar, a stick of butter, and baking soda. When the butter is melted, 2 eggs are added, and then flour, a pinch of salt, and the chopped nuts. The resulting bread is dark and moist, sweet and buttery, delicious, really.
Just in the last year or so I have begun experimenting by using the method with other dried fruit. The results have been very good, especially the sour cherry pecan, studded with white chocolate chips. Today at the farmers market my eye was drawn to a bag of dried apple wedges and a bunch rhubarb. I purchased the duo, considering just how they might be combined. Sandy's recipe was the answer. Apples, rhubarb, and pecans, with a touch of apple pie spice and a little extra cinnamon, all baked up into an amazing loaf. Sweet, tart, nutty, dense and buttery, just a thin slice is a satisfying snack.
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