Description
In March or in April, the fruit is green, round and small; during
the summer, the date reaches its final size and it is yellow and
soft, it is rich in vitamins but it wont ripen unless it undergoes
the heat of summer and autumn.
It is then fragrant and sweet. For the oasis inhabitants, the
date is so precious that it is given a name at each stage of
its growth.
They store and consume them all the year long, It is no longer a
sweet meal for them but a basic food and their survival
guarantee.
The date is omnipresent in the oasis meals. It is supplemented
by cereals and dairy products, which provide the proteins and fat
which are lacking in dates.
When the palms grove was the only resource for the sedentary
inhabitants of the desert, every adult in the oasis consumed
about 200 Kilos of dates a year. To get them throughout
all the seasons and in order to vary the menus, dates of quality
had been selected.
But dates are not only food, but also a traditional remedy to
various virtues: their decoctions calm anxious people, help
children to sleep, heal ulcers and bring solace pregnant women
thanks to their content of iron and potassium.
There is a typical proverb of ours: "May your day be like date and
milk".
DEGLET NOUR :
It is the queen of all dates. It is the most appreciated variety in
the world for its high quality and its unique sickly sweet
taste.
Traditionally is named "fruit of shining light" for its translucent
golden colour, smooth aspect and lovely shape. Deglet Nour is
Horchani Dattes and vice versa.
