Raisins are said to have originated by chance over 2,000 years ago by discovering grapes that had dried naturally in vineyards. Missionaries brought grape-farming techniques to California, and later in the mid-19th Century, farmers started producing raisins in the temperate San Joaquin Valley. The production continues to this day. Raisins have an extremely wide range of uses, not just in baking; they are used in Japanese and western confectionery, frozen desserts and for various cooked dishes.