Two or three years ago when the city of Pasadena yanked out the trees along Arroyo Parkway and planted dozens of date Palm trees I was shocked. I had never associated Pasadena with palms, particularly since the palms being planted were non-natives. L.A.–yes, it’s a palm tree kind of city but Pasadena always seemed to be more of a California Oak Tree kind of town. Well, that and roses. Anyway…this year the palms have produced a bumper crop of dates right down the middle of a main thoroughfare into the city.
The dates, of course, are out of reach to all but the flocks of green parrots in the neighborhood. But looking closer at them through my camera lens I realized these could be Bahri dates, the absolutely most delicious dates I’ve ever tasted. They sure look like it.
Unlike the packaged Medjool dates available in stores, the Bahri date does not preserve well and is only available for a short season in a few local stores and in farmers’ markets. Some ambitious Bahri growers now offer them for sale on the internet. If you buy from the internet, keep in mind these are not the dried-to-last-forever-dates that traders took on their travels along the Silk Road. They must be refrigerated, although they will probably be eaten so fast it won’t matter.
So what does the Bahri date taste like? Like date-flavored caramel–all soft and gooey and sweet. Others say it tastes like honey, but I’m sticking with caramel.
For more information about growing palm trees, go to my website Hot Gardens.net
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