You probably know PA-based brand Soom Foods for its velvety, ultra-creamy tahini. Owned and operated by sisters Shelby, Jackie and Amy Zitelman, Soom launched in 2013. Ever since, it’s been delighting professional and home cooks with carefully crafted sesame paste, made from high-quality, natural ingredients. Soom has just announced an addition to its line of globally inspired pantry products: Soom Silan, a date syrup made from steamed and pressed Israeli dates.
“After five years of talking tahini, we’ve decided to add silan to our product mix.” says Soom Foods Co-Founder and CEO Shelby Zitelman. “This date syrup is made from just one ingredient: dates! Much like tahini was five years ago, silan has been underutilized in American kitchens, despite its versatility. We believe there is so much potential for it to become another essential pantry item. Not to mention, silan is a wonderful complement to tahini. Like peanut butter and jelly, they make a phenomenal pair. Soom Silan was a natural choice for what came next.”
Think of silan as a fantastic alternative to honey, agave and other liquid sweeteners. A staple for thousands of years in Middle Eastern and North African cooking, silan can go sweet or savory, added to dressings and sauces, swirled into yogurt and smoothies, and added anywhere a rich, complex sweetness is desired. We love the idea of adding it to cocktails in place of simple syrup or agave — try it in Soom’s “MedSummer Night’s Dream” cocktail; recipe can be found here.
Just like Soom’s tahini, this natural sweetener and nutrient-rich product has no added sugars, preservatives, or colors, and it is nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, paleo and kosher. And because dates are a nutrient-rich fruit, Soom Silan contains essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, including magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper, iron and fiber. It also contains up to eight times more fiber than other natural sweeteners!
Curious? You can order Soom Silan in single, 12.3 oz squeeze jars or in two-packs (it’s also available via Amazon).
Have you heard of silan before? Are you excited to try Soom’s version? Let us know in the comments or on the PA Eats Facebook page!
- Cocktail photo: Molly Krebs - Spices in My DNA
- Silan bottles image: Soom Foods
