Bring water to boil in small saucepan. Stir in dates. Remove from heat and cool until lukewarm.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place brown sugar and butter in mixer bowl; cream until blended. Add egg and beat until smooth. Add date/water mixture, and beat until blended.
In another bowl, combine flour, soda and salt, mixing thoroughly. Stir wet ingredients into flour mixture, stirring just until blended. Do not overbeat; batter should be lumpy. Fold in nuts.
Pour batter into greased loaf pan, or three small mini-loaf pans.
Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 60-75 minutes for large loaf, 45-60 minutes for mini-loaves.
Remove from oven and cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
To freeze, wrap cooled loaves in plastic wrap; place wrapped loaves in food freezer storage bag. Freeze for up to 8 weeks.