During a recent “sisters week” in Palm Springs, we drove deep into the Coachella Valley in search of dates, a good lunch, and, of course, pie. The Coachella Valley, particularly the towns of Coachella, Indio and Thermal, is the date capital of the United States and produces more than 95% of the dates sold in our country.
Date palm shoots were originally brought to the US in 1927 from Morocco, Iraq, Egypt, Algeria, and near Mecca in Saudi Arabia. They thrive in the hot, arid climate of southern California and Arizona and have become an important part of the Coachella valley economy.
There are many varieties of dates. Soft, sweet dates such as the Medjool are typically eaten fresh. They are mild in flavor, with a lower sugar content, and their flavor intensifies when dried. Deglet Noor, the most widely grown dates, are semi-dry with a nutty, yet sweet flavor. Because they are less moist and easier to chop, they are primarily used in baking. Barhi dates are the sweetest and have a hint of caramel. Dates can also be dried and ground into date crystals or the even the finer date sugar. Date crystals can be reconstituted with liquid as an equivalent to chopped dates, and date sugar can be substituted for white sugar, brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup or honey to add a unique flavor to pies and other baked goods.
During our visit to the Shield’s Date Garden, we were surprised to discover that there was no date pie on the menu. So, instead, we purchased pounds of dates which we lugged home in our suitcases. I made pies with mine.
While you might not usually think of dates in a pie, they are actually quite good. Most recipes call for chopping the dates and cooking them slowly on the stove with water or milk to soften and then make into a custard to pour into a partially baked crust. I used my Medjool dates to make a Walnut-Date Pie. This pie is smooth and sweet, and the walnuts offset the sweetness with a crunch.
Then I “double dated” and made a Cocoa Date Pie with the Deglut Noor dates. The pie stands up tall, is rich and full of flavor, but dates are not the obvious ingredient. I challenged four neighbors to taste the pie, and no one guessed immediately that the pie was made from dates. One noted it “defies categorization.” Another said, “The pie is rich, creamy and full of robust texture without overbearing sweetness. There is a lot going on in this pie and each element seems to marry with the other to provide an appealing overall taste”. “The sugar (date sugar) is attractive on top”. One neighbor gave the crust highest marks…. two “Fs” for flavor and flakiness!
Because I had purchased the date crystals in Indio (they can be purchased online, too), I also made Mrs. Shields’ Date Crystal Sour Cream Pie, which was the only pie mentioned on the printed list of things to do with date crystals. This pie was a real surprise. My friends who were 
the tasting panel for this pie noted that it had a fruity flavor, with a taste like a fall harvest pie. “It has a real zing” noted another. All agreed it would be enhanced with a scoop of ice cream, but no one guessed that the pie had dates in it!
The sisters liked all of our dates and date pies paired with a Ridge Zinfandel from Lytton Springs. For the Cocoa Date pie there were two votes for a strong red wine, one for Grand Marnier (a nod to the orange juice in the recipe), and one for a light sweet wine such as a Moscato. A neighbor told me “My mouth wants black coffee.” I liked my Cocoa Date Pie best mixed in my oatmeal for breakfast. The pie panel suggested brandy to go with the Date Crystal Sour Cream pie.
People to meet:
• The Palmeros, the highly trained workers who do the hard work of pruning, dethorning, irrigating, pollinating, bagging, and picking the dates.
• Owners, growers, workers and servers at the various date farm stands and gardens.
Places to stay:
• Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa at Indian Wells (http://indianwells.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html); the hotel is perched above the valley with magnificent views.
• Two Bunch Palms Resort and Spa, Desert Hot Springs (http://www.twobunchpalms.com/) ; the feature here is the natural hot springs, a delightful way to relax either before or after eating pie.
Places to visit:
- Shield’s Date Garden, Indio, California (https://www.shieldsdategarden.com/)
- Oasis Date Garden, Thermal, California (https://www.oasisdate.com/)
- Thursday Night Street Fair in Palm Springs (http://villagefest.org/)
Places to eat pies in Palm Springs and environs: Oddly, we never did find a place that served date pie, but here are some of the places we enjoyed that also serve pies:
• Sherman’s Deli and Bakery—a New York-style deli with Big Apple-size servings; the bakery makes pies daily.
• Spencer’s, an elegant restaurant with a substantial dessert menu including pies.
Pies: Date Nut Pie (http://www.cooks.com/recipe/3u7yh5g1/date-nut-pie.html); Cocoa Date Pie (http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Cocoa-Date-Pie); Mrs. Shield’s Date Crystals Sour Cream Pie. (See recipe.) Also try Medjool dates stuffed with gorgonzola cheese, a date shake, or date bars!
- 1 9 inch unbaked pie shell (Use recipe from artofthepie.com)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup Shields Date Crystals
- ½ cup raisins (optional) I did not use
- 2 eggs well beaten
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ tsp. cloves
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp. mild vinegar
- Mix in order given and pour into unbaked pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes
