Two of my strongest memories of living in Saudi Arabia are the date vendor at the outdoor market and a day trip we took to the oasis of Al-Ahsa. In the market in downtown Al-Khobar, gleaming mounds of dates flowed across the market table. Large medjool dates, a rich chocolaty color. Thinner dates, a shiny shade of tanned brown. And a large pile of semi-ripe dates, muted yellow on one side and deep caramel brown on the other. All so delicious. And, on the day trip to Al-Ahsa, an hour and a half south of Al-Khobar, my jaw dropped as fields of green opened before us. Not grass or grain, but enormous plantations of date trees, stretching on and on and on….
Today we explore the Al-Ahsa oasis and their vast plantations of date palms. Come soak up these stories and vistas, and enter the scrumptious world of dates.
But First, Let’s Talk About Dates, Those Delicious Dates
When I arrived in Saudi, I was floored by the sheer number of date varieties. Want to eat a premium date? The Saudi company Bateel offers seven different types. Want more variety? The website Tasting Table has a detailed description of 15 types of dates. Want the full range of options? A profile of Saudi dates for the magazine AramcoWorld lists over twenty varieties by name and alludes to 240-360 types worldwide.
So yes, dates come in all sorts! They range in color from a deep blackish hue to dark brown, soft caramel, butterscotch yellow, or even crimson red. They range in shape too. Some dates are thick and squat, others are thin and narrow. They even range in texture. Some, like the medjool date, are soft and chewy, while others are firmer, almost dry.
But my favorite by far is the semi-ripe or rutab date. Characterized by its two-tone color (see the far right bowl above), this date is the best of both worlds in my opinion. The wrinkled brown side is sweet and ripe, almost soft to the touch. The yellowish-brown end is hard, a little crunchy, with a hint of sweetness. Exact colors of rutab vary depending on the variety of date, but the premise is the same — soft and sweet on one end, crunchier on the other. An enticing combination of textures and flavors.
A Trip to the Oasis of Al-Ahsa
My joy in experiencing and experimenting with dates at the market in Al-Khobar made a trip to Al-Ahsa a must. This oasis, the largest in the world per the Guinness Book of World Records, goes by several names: Al-Ahsa, Al-Hasa, and Hajar. It features 2.5 million date palm trees, nourished by a web of natural springs and aquifers.
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018, the oasis features sprawling plantations of trees, the large city Al-Hofuf, and a mix of modern construction, archeological sites, and historic buildings. Coming into town, I stopped at the Al-Qarah Mountain (Jabal al-Qarah), which features a historic network of caves whose composition and ventilation make them cool in the summer and warm in the winter. This natural landmark dives deep into the rock in tall narrow fissures, with sedimentary layers prominently visible to the naked eye. Local tribes may once have lived inside these caves and a museum near the entrance provides a great overview of the region’s history.
I made sure to stop at the renovated market on the way out of Al-Hofuf. The stalls and alleys mimic the historical architecture, with tall wooden doors and delicately carved lattice windows high above the narrow corridors. I didn’t have much time to shop, but hoped to return to the market soon. I also promised myself that, next time, I would tour a local plantation to buy some dates straight from the source.
What Next?
Now it’s your turn — leave a comment below: what kind of dates are your favorite? Do you eat them plain, cook with them, bake with them? And the Al-Ahsa oasis, had you heard of it before? We’re curious to get your thoughts!
Looking for more?? Come check out other food-related posts here on the Other Things blog. We’ve discussed marvelous dishes from Algeria, sipped and savored delicious drinks from Egypt, and compiled our ultimate list of Middle Eastern cookbooks. So much good food! But this blog goes beyond food, of course. I particularly love this piece about the work of Syrian artist Elias Zayyat and this post that presents four must-read works by Naguib Mahfouz, going beyond his incredible Cairo Trilogy.
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