Episode Details
Back to EpisodesThe Surprising History of an Iconic (and Edible) Tree in Las Vegas
Description
A lot of us locals love to hate on palm trees in our landscaping — but did you know that they can produce edible fruit? Phoenix dactylifera, the date palm, produces those brown, wrinkly, caramel-flavored fruits that show up in Christmas cakes, Ramadan tables, and the date shakes you always see advertised along the I-15. So today, our co-hosts, Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman, a food historian and author of the book Endangered Eating, sit down to talk about the date palm’s winding road from the Middle East to the Mojave, how an Indigenous couple in Nevada saved the Medjool date from extinction, and why the palm-hate isn’t entirely warranted.
A special bonus for our listeners — Sarah is sharing two date recipes from her book:
Date recipes from Sarah’s book
We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. Want some more Las Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here.
Interested in advertising on City Cast? Learn more here.