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Dates are a member of the drupe type of fruit. That is, dates have a central pit or
seed, like a cherry or plum. It is a member of the palm family. Dates have been around for
millenium. A popular fruit of the Middle East, dates are used dried. In drying, the date
sugar is concentrated and thus makes for a high energy type of fruit that keeps well.
For centuries, the Medjool was reserved exclusively for royalty and their guests.
Originally from Morocco, a blight in the 1920s threatened to make Medjools extinct. In the
hope of preventing this, the Moroccan royal family sent eleven plants to Southern
California, where the growing conditions were similar to their habitat.
Of the several geographic areas in which date gardens thrive, the Bard Valley, 150 miles
southwest of Palm Springs, has proven to be the most nurturing. The nutrient-rich soil,
from centuries of Colorado River flooding,
infuses the Medjool with unmatched richness.
Hadley Bard Valley Medjools are descendents of those eleven original royal plants. With a
rich mahogany color and soft texture, it is the true connoisseur's date for both gift
giving and personal enjoyment.
Each variety of date not only has its own distinctive taste, but also its own
distinctive texture, sweetness and size. When properly stored, dates keep exceedingly
well. Stored in airtight containers and kept in the refrigerator, dates will stay moist
and delicious for as long as 30 days. Dates can also be kept frozen for up to a year with
no loss of taste or quality, so you can enjoy their natural sweetness any time of year.
Here are a few good site links to Date information:
http://www.hadleyfruitorchards.com/
http://www.bawarchi.com/cookbook/mukhwaas3.html
http://www.calsungold.com/
For a history of the date and a little background for U.S. Date production check into this
web site:
http://www.calsungold.com/html/about_us.html |
