One of my favorite deserts is called a "date and pecan sandwich". I was first introduced to them by a Christmas gift from my sister. She lives in Georgia where pecan trees are seen all over the place. Since then for Christmas I've always asked for another bag of pecans. Last time she sent me a burlap bag full of pecans in the shells. I got into the experience of shelling the things. It's easy once you develop the touch. The key is to apply just enough force to crack the shells, but not enough to break the meats. Doesn't matter much if you do, they taste the same either way. This year she and her daughters must have spent time on it, because all I got was a zip-lock bag full of shelled pecan meats. I start by grabbing a couple of those and a locally sourced (meaning somewhere in California) date.

Then I split open the date to expose the pit.

Discard both the pit and the cap that remains from where it was attached to the palm tree.

Put the pecans where the pit used to be.

  

Eat. If the ingredients are anywhere near fresh (meaning this years harvest and kept cool and dry since) you will enjoy it.