Chopped Dates in Milk

It's been an exciting time for me lately. My husband and I just bought a condo and we've been spending the last couple of weeks unpacking. I really love the new place and can't wait until we finish settling in.

There are some things that I miss about our old place, like the view from the balcony, but let me tell you, I don't miss the stove. It was electric, and really small - just big enough to fit a cookie sheet. It was the kind that has one full size burner, with three that are smaller.

And now for the exciting part. Check out our new stove!


I'm really excited to start experimenting with it.

Another thing that has been keeping me busy lately is Ramadan, the month of fasting that Muslims observe once a year. The fast lasts during daylight hours, so traditionally you wake up before sunrise to eat a meal called suhor and break your fast after sunset with a meal called iftar.

I have a lot of food related memories surrounding Ramadan, since there are certain dishes that my family makes during this time. For example, one traditional food to break fast with is dates and milk. My mom likes to let the dates sit for few minutes in the milk before eating, so the sweet flavor of the dates seeps into the milk.

I've seen variations of this that include nuts, but for me the plain version is great as is. It's the perfect refreshing snack to have at the end of a day of fasting.

Chopped Dates and Milk

(appetizer/snack for 4)

12 dates, about 3 per ramekin
4 ramekins
milk, about 2 cups
couple dashes of cinnamon, optional

Chop the dates into bite sized pieces, removing the seed. Divide evenly between the ramekins and then fill to the top with milk. Sprinkle with some cinnamon if you'd like. Allow to site for at least 5 minutes before enjoying.