The date variety Deglet Nour is just one of the more than a hundred varieties of dates. They can be purchased fresh, frozen, or dried. They are especially popular in Central Europe during the Christmans season.
General information:
From Wikipedia: “Deglet Nour (Arabic: دقلة نور"translucent" or "date of light"); also Deglet Noor is a cultivar of date.
Commonly referred to as the "queen of all dates", the authentic Tunisian Algerian Deglet Nour has a soft touch, a translucent light color and a soft honey-like taste, characteristics which distinguish it from other dates.”
Production:
“Deglet Nours are popular in Tunisia, Libya, the United States, and Algeria where it is grown in inland oases and is the chief export cultivar. Despite being grown in several Mediterranean countries, the Deglet Nour date originates from Algeria, which is still the world's largest producer of Deglet Nour dates. It is grown predominantly in the Biskra province of Algeria, in the oases of Tolga and M'Chouneche.
Deglet Nour is one of hundreds of cultivars of date palm but is, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the leading date in terms of export value.”
Nutritional value:
“On average, 100 grams contains 1170 kJ, 0.5 g fat, and 8.7 g fiber.*” As with other dates, the Deglet Nour variety has a very high sugar content at over about 60%.
Culinary uses:
From “en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Date_palm”: “Dry or soft dates are eaten out-of-hand, or may be pitted and stuffed with fillings such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, candied orange and lemon peel, tahini, marzipan or cream cheese.
Pitted dates are also referred to as stoned dates. Partially dried pitted dates may be glazed with glucose syrup for use as a snack food. Dates can also be chopped and used in a range of sweet and savory dishes, from tajines (tagines) in Moroccoto puddings, ka'ak (types of Arab cookies) and other dessert items. Date nut bread, a type of cake, is very popular in the United States, especially around holidays.
Dates are also processed into cubes, paste called "'ajwa", spread, date syrup or "honey" called "dibs" or "rub" in Libya, powder (date sugar), vinegar or alcohol. Vinegar made from dates is a traditional product of the Middle East.
Recent innovations include chocolate-covered dates and products such as sparkling date juice, used in some Islamic countries as a non-alcoholic version of champagne, for special occasions and religious times such as Ramadan. When Muslims break fast in the evening meal of Ramadan, it is traditional to eat a date first.”
Note (italics): * = Translation from a German Wikipedia entry
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