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A Date with Deliciousness

Have you ever wondered what makes a Palm Springs date shake so special? A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Shield’s Date Garden in Indio and uncover the secret to this iconic and frosty drink.

A Date with History

Indio and Bard Valley are renowned for their date production, with over 40 million pounds harvested annually. These regions provide ideal conditions for date palms, thanks to the hot, sunny climate of the Coachella Valley. In fact, California produces nearly all of the dates grown in the United States.

Introduced to California in 1769 by missionaries, about 95 percent of US grown dates come from California.

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Shield’s Date Garden, established in 1924 by Floyd and Bess Shields, offers a fascinating glimpse into the history of date cultivation. Visitors can sample a variety of dates, each with its unique flavor profile.

The Medjool date, known for its rich, caramel-like sweetness and moist and chewy texture, is a popular choice. Other notable varieties that grow in Palm Springs and nearby Bard Valley include the deglet noor, Barhi, honey, Khadrawi, golden princess and abbada black date.

The blonde dates, grown only at Shield’s, are especially moist and delicious.

The Secret to the Perfect Date Shake

After learning about the history and cultivation of dates, I couldn’t resist trying one of Shield’s famous date shakes. It was a decadent treat that perfectly captured the essence of the desert.

For a richer, more indulgent shake, consider adding a scoop of chocolate ice cream or a drizzle of chocolate syrup.

Date Nutrition

Native to Northern Africa and Western Asia, dates are a nutritious and delicious snack. The dates nutritional value includes a good dose fiber, B-complex vitamins and more potassium than bananas. They also contain selenium, which protects against heart disease and cancer, and have only 23 calories per bite.

Dates are delicious made into a sticky date pudding, date bread, date cookies or a date loaf. On their own, dates can keep one month in the refrigerator and up to a year in the freezer.

After watching the quick 15 minute film about the “Romance and Sex Life of the Date,” I had to sample one of Shield’s signature date shakes, which are famous in the California desert. And let me say, they lived up to the hype!

Next time you’re in the Coachella Valley, you must try the Palm Springs Date Shakes!!

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