There are so many date companies to choose from, but I tend towards those that I have a deep familiarity with and can really understand where they come from, particularly knowing the growers and owners, if and when I can. Others I’ve taste-tested and because I can more easily verify the quality and integrity of the products, especially since they’re almost all so close to me here in Southern California, (with the exception of the Tunisian date sugar- you can watch my video with PurDate here). That’s why I feel good about recommending these products and hope to continue to add more and more in the future.
Joolie’s Organic California Whole Medjool Dates, Ramadan Gift box, date syrup and ” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>snack boxes are super cute and whimsical, very California packaging, all actually make quite nice gifts.
Let’s Dateorganic date sugar, organic date paste, or organic date paste come from dates in the UAE and are sold by a California-based company around the United States.
Natural DelightsBard Valley Medjool Dates from California. I was able to visit the date groves near Yuma, Arizona several years ago which you can read more about here. I like their date rolls as hostess gifts for Iftar parties or for serving at your own, of course.
Nature’s Anthem dates hail from California’s Coachella Valley and the first Ramadan I came back to California, I was able to visit the groves, which you can read about here and also find links to purchase their products.
Oasis Date Gardens dates come from Thermal, California and grow 20 varieties of exotic date species. Visit their website for more information and to purchase. They even have a Ramadan promo going on right now.
PurDate products are a new brand to me, bringing date sugar from the edge of the Tunisian Sahara to the American market. The date sugar is a great alternative to white sugar and is vegan, as well. In this video, we learn more about how to actually use it in cooking and baking.
So, that’s a wrap. If you haven’t gotten your dates or date products yet or need a refill mid-month, just click on the links of the product images or titles.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that as an Amazon affiliate, I may receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. This helps keep my website running is very appreciated. Thank you so much for your support!
Avocados fall into the category of my favorite foods on the planet. They’re so nutritious, full of good fats and now being called a super food. I’ve been eating them for their wonderful good fats all of my adult life. When I moved out to California recently, I couldn’t wait to get my hand on the local avocados, and in my mind I thought they would be a lot more economical than in the grocery stores of the Midwest. Much to my surprise, they’re not- and avocado toast at some local cafes can be upwards of $13 per sandwich! Not cool, California…
Well, avocado toast is the easiest thing on the planet to make yourself, if you like. My California twist involves a little red pepper, Himalayan salt and extra virgin olive oil.
Ingredients for California Avocado Toast: 2 pieces of bread, 1-2 large avocados (one per sandwich), extra virgin olive oil, sea salt or Himalayan pink salt, red pepper flakes
Simply toast or grill your bread of choice and brush a little extra virgin olive oil on each piece.
Remove the pit of one large, ripe avocado and mash the flesh in a bowl.
To the bread, add spring greens or arugula, then a handful of the mashed avocado on each piece of bread. Drizzle with olive oil.
Add a pinch of salt (Himalayan or sea salt) and a pinch of red pepper flakes on top, as well.
A photo posted by Yvonne Maffei (@myhalalkitchen) on
It was one of the most unique places geographically that I’ve ever been, and on the food and agricultural side, one of the most interesting and mesmerizing due to the sheer size of the trees and the story of how they were planted and grown there (more on that in a minute).
Entering the date groves in Yuma, Arizona
There are over 30 date varieties but the most common are the Deglet and the Medjool. Medjool dates is the variety grown here and the climate and geography couldn’t be more perfect, subhanAllah. The Medjool provide a natural sugar that your body recognizes, which is probably why they’re so effective to eat after a long day of fasting in Ramadan or other times of the year when they slowly raise your body’s blood sugar levels without over-doing it. At the time of the trip, the dates were ready to be harvested. Of all the places around California, Arizona and even Morocco where I’ve been, I’ve never quite experienced the harvesting process like I did here. Most of the time the dates are just low hanging fruits or they are falling from the trees and onto the pavement or ground along the streets. Obviously in a controlled environment where the dates are grown for processing, the fruit has to be collected and these bags that you see (above) are how they begin to do that. Here’s me and my friend and fellow blogger JoAnn MacDonald of Woman in Real Life getting geared up to go up and into the trees so that we could try our hand at harvesting. Next, we’re lifted up and into the trees to open up the bags and let out the ripened dates– now those tasted absolutely incredible. Silky soft and delicious. And these trees are so tall and majestic. I’m sure most people know that, but once you stand underneath one, you can really grasp the sheer magnitude of their size. Here in Yuma where there are thousands of acres of groves, the trees are offshoots of palms originally coming from Morocco in the 1940’s. The trees were diseased and the Moroccan government asked if growers in the US would try and save a healthy species by propagation here. They were originally planted in Nevada since Arizona or California wouldn’t take them since they could infect other plants there. Once they were strong enough and disease-free they were eventually moved to Yuma (Bard Valley) where they began to thrive. We had lunch and dinner with the various growers of these dates on several occasions which were great opportunities to learn more about their individual and collective passion for growing and harvesting the fruits. Just about every dish we ate had dates in it- from our drinks…
A photo posted by Yvonne Maffei (@myhalalkitchen) on
to desserts…
To the gourmet salads at dinner…
I personally learned a lot from them on the agricultural side of the things, which grew my appreciation for the trees and their fruits that I’ve already loved without a doubt- for example, in the Bard Valley where the dates of Natural Delights come from, there is no need for pesticides because the trees don’t really have any predators that eat away at the fruits. The fruits are so high up into the trees that the risk for losing the fruit is low, therefore they never have to spray with any chemicals in or around the groves. Some of the dates are labeled as organic due to the certification they’ve received, but the rest of the groves are also pesticide-free (and non-GMO, halal and kosher-certified).
We were also given a tour of the processing facility, which was great (you can see more photos and video of this on my Instagram feed). It was interesting to see how the fruit is plucked from the trees, washed and then packaged beautifully and tightly into those red or green or yellow labeled boxes you find at places like The Fresh Market, which is where I get mine at home. The dates are a fresh fruit, not dried, so they are merchandised at room temperature. They can last up to six months in the fridge and when you freeze them (which is a great way to preserve them), they do not become rock solid. If you start to see any white stripes or dots on the fruit, it’s most likely not anything harmful like mold, but just the natural sugars coming out of the fruit.
Even on my way out of Yuma back to Phoenix, there are beautiful spots to stop and look at the majestic palms, however Yuma is unique in it’s organized way of growing and harvesting the dates but also in its valuable collection of growers who are dedicated to bringing the best quality dates to consumers. They’ve always been a favorite of mine, I just never knew who grew them or where they came from, particularly in the United States.
Special thanks to Beth Atkinson and her wonderful team for organizing one of the best blogger events I’ve ever visited.
During my trip to San Diego last May, I shared many of my culinary and shopping adventures by tweeting and posting updates to the MHK Facebook page . There was a great response and interest from readers and I was thrilled to know that many of you shop at farmers markets, many in California. What a great place for fresh, local and organic food.
I was also surprised to learn how many of you shared my love of vintage pieces, which I believe is a great way to have unique, inspiring pieces of home decor and furniture without being wasteful. One person’s junk can truly be someone else’s treasure, especially when one has a vision for old pieces recycled as new. Lots of older pieces are also incredibly sturdy and have character not often found in cookie-cutter items mass-manufactured with synthetic, perhaps toxic materials. (more…)
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At the time of the trip, the dates were ready to be harvested. Of all the places around California, Arizona and even Morocco where I’ve been, I’ve never quite experienced the harvesting process like I did here. Most of the time the dates are just low hanging fruits or they are falling from the trees and onto the pavement or ground along the streets. Obviously in a controlled environment where the dates are grown for processing, the fruit has to be collected and these bags that you see (above) are how they begin to do that. 
Here’s me and my friend and fellow blogger 
And these trees are so tall and majestic. I’m sure most people know that, but once you stand underneath one, you can really grasp the sheer magnitude of their size. 
Here in Yuma where there are thousands of acres of groves, the trees are offshoots of palms originally coming from Morocco in the 1940’s. The trees were diseased and the Moroccan government asked if growers in the US would try and save a healthy species by propagation here. They were originally planted in Nevada since Arizona or California wouldn’t take them since they could infect other plants there. Once they were strong enough and disease-free they were eventually moved to Yuma (Bard Valley) where they began to thrive. 
We had lunch and dinner with the various growers of these dates on several occasions which were great opportunities to learn more about their individual and collective passion for growing and harvesting the fruits. Just about every dish we ate had dates in it- from our drinks…
