Behind the Scenes at Gato: How Our Stuffed Dates Are Made
There are a lot of things that happen to a Gato before it makes its way into a pouch. From opening every Medjool by hand to getting very specific about moisture and where the chocolate goes, there is a reason behind pretty much all of it.
Some involve numbers we have become weirdly specific about. And some are details you would probably never notice unless we pointed them out.
We open every single date
Most dates are pitted by pushing the pit out from top to bottom, which means the date never really gets opened. We do ours a little differently.
Every organic Medjool date we use is slit lengthwise, opened and inspected by hand before it gets filled.
Dates are fruit, which means natural imperfections can happen. Opening each one lets us actually see what is inside and make sure it meets our standards before it moves on.
There is no machine doing this part for us. Every date has been opened and inspected by hand.
A lot of extra work? Yes. Worth it? Also yes.
22% is our sweet spot
Dates naturally change from batch to batch. Some are bigger. Some are smaller. Some hold more moisture than others.
We have become extremely particular about all of the above.
For the Medjool dates we use in Gato, around 22% moisture is our sweet spot. We typically work within a range of about 20 to 24%, looking for the soft, juicy texture that makes a Medjool so good in the first place.
Not to be dramatic about moisture, but 22% matters.
We are particular about size too. Every batch has to meet our standards before it becomes Gato, and yes, we have sent batches back when they were too small or too dry.
The date is not just there to hold the nut butter. We want it to be one of the best parts of every bite.
This is also part of the reason Gato lives in the fridge, which we have already written an entire blog about because apparently we have a lot to say about date moisture.
The chocolate stops there for a reason
Flip over a Gato and you might notice something.
The chocolate does not cover the entire date.
That is intentional.
When we were developing Gato, Gabi wanted the balance between the Medjool and the chocolate to feel exactly right. So instead of fully dipping the date, the chocolate covers the top and sides while leaving more of the date exposed underneath.
The idea was always for this to be a date with a layer of chocolate, not the other way around.
You still get the snap, then the soft date and nut butter underneath.
Turns out, even where the chocolate stops has been discussed at length.
We care about what goes inside, too
The details do not stop with the date itself.
Our Medjools are organic. Our nut butters are organic. Our dark chocolate is made with organic cacao and unrefined coconut sugar.
Using organic ingredients costs us roughly 20 to 30% more than conventional alternatives. It is one of the choices that goes into the price of a Gato pouch, and one we have made from the beginning.
We care about what goes into every layer, from the fruit in the middle to the chocolate on top.
Very on brand for us to be this specific about a snack.
The stuff you do not see
By the time you open a pouch, every date has been opened and inspected by hand. The batch has passed our very specific opinions about size and moisture. The chocolate is exactly where we want it. The ingredients were chosen long before any of it made it to your fridge.
You do not have to think about any of this while you are eating one.
We have thought about it enough for everyone.
A lot of little decisions for one little date. That is kind of the point.
