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They are typically matched in combination with varieties of nuts, but dried fruit gift baskets have become the second most popular version of fruit baskets these days. According to growers and manufacturers, the sales of these wonderful baskets have skyrocketed in recent years because of how long the product lasts. They taste as well after a few weeks as the day it arrived.
Some of the more popular dried fruits are made of dried Mediterranean apricots, California pears, Middle Eastern dates and figs, along with dried fruit combos such as coconut/date rolls and dried pineapple rings with a dried cherry in the middle. Another factor that has aided the sales of dried fruit baskets is the healthy factor and nutritional aspect of dried fruits. The most healthy ones are sun dried that do not require using chemical agents to speed up the process or to preserve the flavor and they also contain little or no added sugar. Addition, their contents makes them acceptable for food preparation on popular religious holidays such as Passover and Ramadan. The key to creating a quality dried fruit basket is much the same as for a fresh fruit one. You have to start with high quality fruits, grow them under organic guidelines, then pick them at the peak of freshness and rush them into the drying process quickly to preserve their flavor. The drying process must be done in a similar high quality manner to create a finished product. When the sun is used to dry most of the fruit, not much has changed from the way as it was done back in ancient times. The only difference today is mass production of the products are required to meet demand. Cherries have to be pitted before they’re dried so the finished product can be eaten like a raisin. Pineapples need a sugary glaze so the acidic component of the fruit does not hasten decomposition. Apricots, pears, apples and even banana slices are the driest of the dried fruits, needing no sugary coating, but must be properly ventilated during drying to remove all of the moisture. Drying fruit is an art more than a science, especially when quality is the desired result.
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