IT'S THE ONLY "date" that we're legally allowed to have here in Riyadh and it is high-time that we finally dived into this delectable dessert with Bateel dates and Bateel Cafe.
The date, which is known to be the Holy Fruit of Arabia is in fact, the national fruit of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Born out of the date palm tree (iconic in most Saudi Arabian emblems), this fruit is a part of the Arabian tradition and was even frequently mentioned in the pages of the Qur'an. From dessert to snacks, it's also a famous fare during Ramadan where it is usually the first thing eaten during the Iftar dinner (you will notice that most of the food they serve during the breaking of fast starts with a plate of dates).
But we won't be talking about your average grocery/street dates here, we're going to be featuring the big name (if not the biggest) in the field of gourmet dates: Bateel who has been a plush merchant of these since the early 90s.
It wasn't until late last year that I had a hefty serving of Bateel dates, although I have heard of them before. I visited their branch in Kingdom Mall while touring some visiting foreign colleagues and the salesman was more than happy to orient us about the different kinds of dates that they offer:
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| The most popular kind of gourmet dates: Khidri. |
Khidri dates also come in other variants, with different stuffings to choose from: Orange, Lemon Peel, Ginger, Caramelized Pecan and Almonds. I personally like the Khidri with Orange because of the balance of sweet and tangy in its flavors. The lemon proved a little too tangy for my liking. The caramelized pecan stuffing is also another favorite.
