P&K: Weevils in the dates

During and after WW11 imported Middle East dates were always infested with weevils.

Staff would break up the cakes of dates and put the dates into water to drown the weevils.

They would scoop off the dead weevils and put the dates on sacks on top of the shop’s bike shed to dry in the sun.

The dates were then put into a mixture of hot water and golden syrup, and stirred to coat with the mixture before drying them a second time.

The staff would bag and sell them to customers who said, as David Kershaw reported: “they are the best dates we’ve ever had.”

David insisted nobody ever reported finding a weevil in the repackaged dates – dead or alive.