We are half way through Ramadan, a month of fasting during the day and feasting in the evening. The eating of fresh dates is traditional when breaking the fast in the evening.
Dates have many nutritional benefits and are absolutely delicious. Most readers are probably familiar with dried dates. In the US, there are limited types of dried dates that are imported. However, in California, the infamous
Shields Date Garden provides lots of information about dates, including a provocative video. They farm a variety of dates and serve up a mean, thick, rich date shake.
Here, in Saudi Arabia, the variety of dates is mind numbing - in the most wonderful way. There are many stores dedicated to dates and grocery stores have special sections for dates and date related treats (date maamouls, dates covered in honey and sesame seeds, chocolate covered dates, etc.). Lucky for us in the Kingdom, fresh dates are now in season. We are still going through our first box of fresh dates that we bought a few weeks ago from a man selling them out of the back of his truck in our neighborhood.
Fresh dates are a unique experience. Look at the photograph of the lovely box of dates. See the ones that are half yellow and half brown? Those are the very special ones. The brown part is sweet and melt-in-your-moth soft. Tastes like a dried date, but more so, like date X 1000. The yellowish portion is surprisingly crunchy and tart. At first, we were put off by the combination and would only go for the all brown, sweet dates. Do not worry, we eventually saw the error in our ways and tried the half sweet/half raw dates again. The texture and flavor combination is one that we have never had before and we fell in love with them. Now we only have all sweet dates left in the box because we ate all the half-and-half dates up.
Eating fresh dates with
qawah is a treat, especially after fasting all day. But with such a big box, we wanted to do more. Inspired by our trips to Shields, we've been experimenting with different date shakes - some with yogurt, some with various types of non-dairy milks, and some with vanilla ice cream. So far, the vanilla ice cream version is the winner.
I love plane food, especially when it involves international flights. Unfortunately, my last few adventures have not gone so well as I have been having difficulties with obtaining my vegetarian meal option. This time I thought I was well prepared. I ordered my "Asian Vegetarian" meal well in advance, double checked once on the telephone, and triple checked at the check-in counter. Unfortunately, "these things happen", the flight attendant said. My meal was not on-board and I opted for the fish, since I have been a wavering vegetarian (I know, I shouldn't even call myself vegetarian at this point).
The best part was our first treat. A date skewered on a toothpick was served with a small cup of Arabic coffee. I originally thought this was thick tea, as the coloring is not dark brown like American coffee. The date was absolutely delicious and a bit cold from being refrigerated. The tea was served in a very small cup and was heavily scented with cardamom.
We then were given juice choices - I had the mango.
My main meal tray tray comprised of: a salad – tomato, iceberg lettuce, one olive, shredded carrots, and Heinz Italian dressing; roasted eggplant and baked fish with spicy garlic tomato sauce over rice with parsley and mustard seeds; potato salad topped with two fresh shrimps (this dish reminded me very much of a Japanese dish, right down to the mayonnaise salad); caramel cheesecake; a roll with butter; and bottled water.
For breakfast the next day, I choose the cheese omelet with hash browns (I discarded the non-pork sausage link). Served alongside was fruit – grapefruit, grapes, pineapple, honeydew; a croissant; one roll; a wedge of foiled soft cheese, two jellies; orange juice; coffee; and bottled water. To end it all, when the plane was coming in to land, hard candies were passed out to help with the ear popping. I choose grape (purple).
Posts
