dates

2016-11-11 a.o.

Dates are a wonderful food. They're not something I can grow here in the NM desert, the date palm is not winterhardy. But they're readily available in stores year-round.

Fresh dates can be kept on the kitchen counter for months without spoiling. They'll shrivel some, but they never seem to go bad. And if you push the seeds into a flower pot, you might even grow a date palm at home!

Pic1: fresh dates
Pic2: some 3 months later

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 2 cups:

fresh dates
chopped almonds

Directions

Pic3: almond date rolls
Pic4: date paste + chopped almonds

Remove the seeds from the dates.
Puree the dates in a food processor into a smooth paste.
It will be a sticky mess.
Roll the date paste into a thin 1/2-3/4" thick strand.
Sprinkle finely chopped almonds on your work table.
Roll the date paste over and in the almonds, so they get embedded in the roll.
Cut the strand in 1" pieces.
Refrigerate uncovered fro 24 hrs. to dry the date paste a bit more.
Serve and enjoy.
Store leftovers in an airtight container.

growing a date palm tree at home

This is the last one

For this, you need fresh dates, not the sugar-candied ones. When you eat the dates, save the seeds that are inside.

Wash the seeds, dry them for a few days on the kitchen counter, then stick them in any flowerpot in the house. Water that pot as usual, and otherwise ignore the seeds you put in there. With some luck, you'll see the narrow grass-like first leaves coming up a few weeks to months later.

Pic5: date seed
Pic6: young date palm tree

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more and avemariasongs.org

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more
and avemariasongs.org