Written by mayur | 24 July 2010
Posted in cooking-tips

The date palm tree has been widely cultivated, perhaps because its fruits are edible. Scientifically known as phoenix dactylifera, its exact origin is unknown.

However, there are inferences that it may have first come from Northern Africa, in the desert oases. Or, maybe, in Southwest Asia.

You can easily identify or recognize a date palm tree. It is not really that tall. It can grow between 15 and 25 meters. Since it has a single-root system, you see several of trunks clumped together.

Now, let's try to be hypothetical. Let's say you were on a cruise, and then, something happens. You wake up and you see yourself in Northern Africa. Before you is an endless sea of sand. A day passed and you clueless. You don't know where to go and what to do. After walking a mile or so, you see a spring. You have fresh water to drink. But your thirst isn't your only worry. You begin to feel hungry. You need food. Any food. Then, you see a bunch of trees. You thought they may be date palm trees. Wow. That's food. Here are some ways to let you get something palatable from a date palm tree:

. Make sure it's really a date palm tree. See if they are really tall. If they look like any other palm trees that you know about, they should have a sizeable mound of leaves. Those leaves should protrude from the top. You should also notice that they don't have branches. And more importantly, your food problem is solved if you see some fruits. They are between 2 and 4 inches long. They are cylindrical. When they are ripe, they turn yellow.
. Climb up the tree to harvest the fruits. Once you have ascertained that what you found is a date palm tree, start eyeing its fruits. The trunk of a date palm tree is a bit rough. So, you have plenty in the way to put your hands and your feet. Just be careful. You don't want to fall flat on the sand.
. Eat the fruit only when it is ripe. You may need to eat first the ones that are already yellow. Now, if you are really hungry and you can't wait, you may also try to unripe fruits. They are definitely edible but they are extremely better.
. Store some for your long travel. Harvest as many fruits as you can. Of course, if there's a time for you to wait for them to ripen, that's better. Anyway, once harvested, you can let the fruits dry out in the sun. Lay them down on direct sunlight. Let them stay there for a day. If you wish to move away, you can bring the fruits and eat them when you are hungry. Just hope you have enough supply until rescue arrives.

If you are in doubt if what you found is really a date palm tree, don't take the risk. It may be poisonous. Don't even attempt to taste any part of it. It is for your own safety.

Author: Norman Bailey
Article Source: howtodothings.com

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