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| The Date People. PO Box 808 Niland, CA 92257, 760-359-3211 Date People FaceBook This is a 12 pack, variety style, from "The Date People" of Southern California. The Date People grow their amazing dates without the use of pesticides, but the red tape of getting "certified" was too much of an ordeal for this very small business. Small. Small like they don't have online ordering, gasp! They don't need to because anyone in "the know" will contact them via phone or email & place their orders. This arrived in December, when there were still lots of dates. I think this was 12 pounds! The variety pack costs a bit more, but it is so fun trying all the different types. This isn't even all the types of dates they offer!! List of Varieties. But it depends on when in the season you order and how each type of date did that year. I believe that some are more rare & you are not able to order 15 pounds of those! And before people start sending me low glycemic diet links.........Nothing comes between me & a wet date. Dates are 80% sugar. But not all "sugar" is "sugar". Yes, kind of like when Clinton asked, "what is the definition of is?". Except this time it's for real. Some scientists did a "Date Study" (looks like they tested Mejool & Halawi) and stuffed people full of dates for an entire month. There were no averse affects on their blood sugar or weight. There were actually improvements in their triglyceride levels & Antioxidant stress levels. And they might even be a "possible best food", containing a wide variety of nutrients & potential health benefits. So I don't think Dates are the Devil. Sugar?? Maybe. Dates? Nope. |
They came with this "cheat sheet" in the event that you didn't go to "Date University". WOW! This had a mix of "wet" and "dry" dates. Some types can be either wet or dry, depending on when they were picked. Some dates are just naturally dry, such as the Zahidi. I went for the really moist ones where the date meat just falls off of the pit. Dates & I go way back. My grandmother considered dates to be sugar. Well, at least as far as I know, because I don't remember her ever having real sugar treats at her house. Nope, just dates. Or the treats you could get at the coop that would use dates to bind something else together. Like Dates, Carob, and Nuts. It used to be such a bummer for me. I would come from my "Ice Cream Bar" grandmother to my carob & date grandmother. I loved them both, but when I was little I wanted straight crack, straight sugar. Since at that time we didn't really get it at home, I had to get my fix on Chicago trips. It's so funny now because I am the one making the carob date treats! Funny how that happens.
Was careful to always put the cardboard back the "right way" so I could keep track of what they were all called. I started to learn their names!
Some varieties are a bit more obscure. I just received another order, 15 pounds, of Halawi. March is not the "prime season" so there are fewer from which to choose. However, the Halawi is an amazing, buttery type of date & was one of my faves from the variety pack.
Bliss. Softer & yes, bliss.
Barhi. Buttery.
Halawi. Soft & Melts in your mouth. Beautiful! I have 15 pounds of these beauties in the fridge now. So you can keep the dates (most types!) in the fridge & they should do pretty well. You can also put them in the freezer. However, it does depend on if you have "wet" or "dry" dates.......So talk with the Date People on whatever types you are getting to see the storage options for you. I got this variety pack when I was consuming massive amounts of fruit. It lasted six weeks, maybe. I also had blood drawn during this time and my A1C was perfect (estimate of blood sugar within last 3 months). I asked for that just because I was consuming so much fruit & was just curious to see if my sugars would change. They were fine before, but I was shocked to see that they were lower during this period. I wasn't eating much more than 10% fat though either. And zero "real" sugars except some splurging on some Babycakes gluten free & coconut syrup sweetened baked breads over the holidays. .
Zahidi (drier)
Zahidi
Amir Hajj
Black Plum
Black Plum in Middle. Honey Date Below Black Plum.
Middle Left is Black Plum. Then middle Zahidi. And Right Middle Black Abadda.
Black Abbada
Sun Glow
Honey Date
Persian Queen
Deglet Noor
Sugar Styx
Black Abbada
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Dates from The Date People are Amazing. It's like getting a 15 pound dessert tray in the mail. You can order all sizes of boxes. Date Season starts in the fall. I never thought I would be buying dates in bulk, but they are so delicious and also a "safe" sweetener! They don't come in BPA infested plastic. They aren't being accused of secretly containing HFCS. They are not genetically modified. These peeps actually are pretty hefty enemies of GMO's, Monsanto, and the other truly terrible ideas out there. Which I love. I know it's not all "proper business etiquette" to express your political ideology. However, I am always grateful when people do. I am much more likely to consistently shop somewhere that I know will be giving money back into projects in which I believe. You might think you can pick up "dates" at some of the Asian Markets, but one near us actually had several types with glucose added!! Really?? Sugar added to dates?? Get them from the States, from the Date People, and sip your Guayaki Mate & Nibble on some serious snacky snack food. I also use them to make "date paste" to use instead of "syrup", agave, and the rest. I love The Date People & you will too!
And my own non gmo gardening.....Fenugreek Sprouts. I use for Smoothies.
Broccoli Sprouts. Great in Smoothies.
Pj & Horton. East St. Louis
Pj & Daiya (prior to an very bad cut that will require amputation of her leg).
East St. Louis
Pj & Daiya. Another Day....picking off the ticks.
Pj & Fallon.
Pj & Petey.
omg, I can't express how much I love dates. I get a pound of medjool every week from my grocery and I love them so much. I have to hide them from myself b/c I eat until I'm about to pop! SO GOOD! and way yummier than brown sugar and raisins in your oatmeal.
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