The rumors are true: Trader Joe’s is selling its own brand of date honey, aka silan. Date honey is a common ingredient used in Middle Eastern cooking and much beloved by Israelis. Date honey is made by steaming and then pressing dates into a syrup that sort of resembles molasses, but not quite as thick. Fun fact: when they call Israel the land of milk and honey, it’s actually date honey that is referenced, not the honey made by bees.
Silan is an incredibly diverse item to use in all kind of sweet or savory dishes: it can be utilized the same as honey, agave or maple syrup as a sweetener, but you can also find it drizzled over roasted vegetables, used instead of an egg wash on challah and paired with tahini as a sweet and salty combo. Since silan is made from dates, it’s also a vegan-friendly alternative to actual honey.
Trader Joe’s date syrup is made with Tunisian dates and they suggest using it in your coffee, on top of pancakes or even as a topping for ice cream. And now I need to go make myself a date honey ice cream sundae.
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