If your dried fruit repertoire begins and ends with oatmeal raisin cookies, this guide is for you. I have appreciated a myriad of dried fruits all my life, long before I got married and changed my last name to one that’s shared with a variety of raisin.

Dried fruit is a great way to add a little sophistication to simple meals and, unlike fresh fruit, has a long shelf-life, which makes it easy and economical to stock your pantry with a few varieties. Some of the most delicious world cuisines, such as Persian, North African, and Indian, are packed with bold spices and dried fruits. And the world of divine patisserie also frequently calls on dried fruit, dates in English sticky toffee pudding, apricots or dates in Middle Eastern baklava, figs in French mendiants, and even Polish kompot, a sweet drink made with any combination of dried fruit you have available. 

There is a reason sommeliers often use dried fruit to describe tasting notes, they are familiar and inviting. I have provided a few suggestions on how to incorporate some of these little gems into your life (sweet and savory!), aside from packing them into your kid’s lunchbox.

When it comes to dried fruit, inspiration is ripe for the picking.