LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2017

BASICS  DATES WITH DESTINY

DATES grow in clusters just underneath the fronds of date palm trees, which are believed to have originated in Iraq. Naturally sweet, they are rich in fibre and full of antioxidants and minerals including iron, calcium and potassium. Dates are a staple food in many Middle Eastern countries and they are also widely available in the U.S. and Canada, with California and Florida being the biggest producers.

DATES ROLLED IN HONEY & PISTACHIOS recipe on page 244

DATES STUFFED

WITH TAHINI & ALMONDS

recipe on page 244

POPULAR VARIETIES

It’s not always possible to know what date variety you’re buying. However they are all interchangeable.

DEGLET NOOR DATES have a firm flesh and are red in colour. This va- riety is the most widely produced in the U.S. and is also the most readily available.

MEDJOOL DATES have a semi-soft texture and caramel-like taste. HALAWY DATES have a thick flesh that is wrinkled and ranges from a yellow to amber colour. They have a sweet taste not unlike caramel.

BARHI DATES are a medium size with soft skin and a slightly caramelized flavour.

ROASTED DATES WITH SERRANO HAM

recipe on page 244

HONEY DATES have soft, ruby-coloured skin, a

CHOCOLATE- COCONUT- COATED DATES recipe on page 244

creamy texture and a deeply sweet taste.

TIPS

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When purchasing dates, look for ones that have a shiny, smooth skin and avoid those that appear shrivelled or have sugar crystals on their surface. It is best to store both fresh and dried dates in the refrig- erator. In an airtight container, fresh dates can last up to two weeks, while dried dates can last up to a year.

To remove the pit from a date, make a small cut on the end and squeeze the pit out. Alternatively, cut the date through the long side and remove pit with the tip of a knife. To boost flavour and moisture, dried dates can be coated in honey or soaked in a liquid such as tea or various types of alcohol.

DATE SHAKE recipe on page 242   I spend time

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in Palm Springs, California, in the winter, which means an indulgence of super rich date shakes. Dates grow throughout the Californian Coachella Valley,

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and Indio is the date capital of North America.

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78  FOOD & DRI NK HOLIDAY 2017