Also known as the Chinese date or red date, the jujube is a type of tree native to China. The fruit of the jujube tree is typically reddish in color, and oval or globe-shaped. The fruit reaches up to 2 inches in diameter, with smooth skin and a single stone. The fruit is often dried and used in herbal remedies. Research on the nutritional and culinary uses of jujube fruit, done in the Food Science section of Texas A&M's Horticultural Sciences Department in the 1940s by Dr. Homer Blackhurst, revealed a very high vitamin C content. The versatile jujube can often substitute for apples, pears, plums, or figs in recipes that call for them. Research on the nutritional and culinary uses of jujube fruit, done in the Food Science section of Texas A&M's Horticultural Sciences Department in the 1940s by Dr. Homer Blackhurst, revealed a very high vitamin C content. Experiments where the seeds were removed and the fruit cooked with water, sugar, and seasonings resulted in a product much like apple butter, and in taste tests with apple butter it was selected as superior. Here is one recipe taken from USDA publication B-1215 entitled Methods of Utilizing the Chinese Jujube.