Your Guide to Authentic Regional Eats
Long ago, when California was considered exotic and paradisiacal, dates were an emblem of its appeal. Grown in the stately palm groves of the Coachella Valley, the luxury fruit inspired a drink that has gone beyond the desert and has been embraced by all of Southern California: the date shake. As if an ordinary milk shake weren’t sweet and creamy-rich enough, chopped dates blended in with the ice cream make this beverage more sumptuous than manna itself. Some of the best date shakes in the area are made just off I-10 at Hadley's Fruit Orchard. Concocted using date crystals rather than chopped-up dates, these prodigious drinks are thick but still mostly suckupable … unless you get a hunk of date stuck in the straw. They are available in regular, large, and giant sizes, the last as satisfying as a pint of superpremium ice cream. For further enrichment, bananas may be included in the shake.
 Medjool Dates (1 pound)
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Giant Date Banana Shake
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Giant Date Shake
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Trail Mix (40 oz.)
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