I bought these at the farmers’ market and I don’t remember what the vendor said they were. She said they are medicinal and good for digestion, etc. and that you can make a tea by throwing 25 of these into a pot of water and seeping them. My husband thought she said goji but these are too big based on what I’ve seen on the internet.
They taste like some sort of dried fruit. Almost like an apple but not as sweet. They are about the size of a golf ball and are very light in weight. There is a pit inside.
Hopefully the vendor is back this week so I can find out, but in the mean time I wanted to make scones or something with them and call them something else other than “scones made with mysterious dried fruit-like thing with quasi-medicinal traits sold out of a van at the farmers’ market”.
Pink Stripes 
‘I’ve never seen anything like them !!
To me, they look like dried Chinese red dates. I think they are also called jujubes.
I concur with Michele. I think they are dried jujubes. Did the same vendor sell them fresh a couple months ago? Fresh, they look like unwrinkled dates. My farmer’s market had them fresh not too long ago.
This is a photo of a dried red date.
Um, you might want to be careful eating too many of these. They “aide” in digestion…if you know what I mean 🙂
So cool! I love mystery food.
I have had goji and they are smaller than raisins. Looking forward to hearing how your baking come out with these babies. 🙂
I have no idea…but I was fascinated! And isn’t it cool that you can use this forum to find out!
PS…did you eat jujubes – the candy? – when you were little? If I remember correctly, they were sort of like early gummies.
squirrel brains?
I agree with the comments that suggested chinese red date (jujube)… for sure.
Never sure how accurate wikipedia is, but it’s got some interesting information on these.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jujube
Yes!! That’s what they are. Thank you everyone. I knew I could count on you all. 🙂
i think they look like they could produce halloucinations.
Never had those before!
Wow, fun! That’s exciting you figured it out! 🙂
Actually, I kinda like that title.
Interesting fruit. Don’t you just love farmers markets.
Well, I’m not sure if I could have just taken a bite out of a mysterious medicinal plant, but it sounds like you have a cool new find! Will be interested in seeing what you do with them.
Nancy
I love trying new food. Looks cool.
It’s so cool that you can reach out to the world and get a reponse!
I liked your original scone title. It would have been pretty funny and I would have for sure remembered it. Ha-ha!
~ingrid
Yup, Red Dates. Usually they are used in soups, savoury or sweet. Mainly chinese cooking supposedly good for complexion too =) My mum makes a dessert out of them with papaya and white fungus.
Almost certainly jujubes. I associate them with Korean Ginger Chicken Stew/ Samgyetang (http://www.chow.com/recipes/11318) and as a component of some rice cakes.
I was gonna guess jujubes too. Uh, yeah. Just kidding. I think it is neat that you would give them a try! I am inspired now to go do the same.
I was going to say that they look like what my mom calls, “hong joe” / red date.
It is supposed to be good for women, if you know what I mean, on certain days of the month. It flushes toxins away. You are supposed to cut away the flesh and toss the pit – the pit has counterproductive properties than the flesh.
As for usage, you can steep a tea out of it with goji berries and fruit.