---

Waioli snack stirs
sweet memories

Brian Jahnke, manager of the Waioli Tea Room, has a memory that goes way, way back -- and a recipe collection to match.

Good news for Lorraine Harlow, who has been nursing a craving for the date bars that she enjoyed at the tea room -- she guesses 30 years ago. "I've been haunted by this recipe for years," she wrote.

I can see why, having baked up a batch. These bars are soft, chewy and just sweet enough.

If you've been to the Waioli Tea Room lately, note that these are not the bars currently on the menu; they are the ones out of Harlow's past.

It's a simple recipe. My only caution is to resist the urge to cut into them too soon. They are very soft right out of the oven and need time to set up.

To make filling: Combine all ingredients except vanilla in a saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat until dates are soft and mixture thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Cool. Stir in vanilla.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch baking pan.

Combine flour, baking soda, oats and sugar. Mix well.

Add butter and stir to combine. Press half the crust mixture into the bottom of pan. Spread date filling evenly over bottom crust. Top with remaining crust and press gently into an even layer. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until top is lightly toasted.

Cool completely before cutting.

Can you help?

If you can answer these baking requests, please get in touch. There's a cookbook in it for anyone who can provide a recipe that tests out well: