Dates

Dates are among the sweetest fruits in the world. They grow on large trees known as date palms and are native to the Middle East where they have been enjoyed for thousands of years. These chewy, sweet fruits are available in several varieties and are sold both fresh and dried. Dates can be eaten out of hand or used as a topping for sweet and savory dishes, and they can also be incorporated into salads and pureed into sauces.

The word “date” comes from the Greek word daktulos, which means “fingers,” possibly named as such for the fruit’s shape. Dates come in many varieties, but only a few are available in the United States. Most dates are allowed to hang on the trees to “cure” and dry a bit before being harvested so they will last longer once picked. They will still be quite soft but have a bit more of a toothsome quality to them. These are the “fresh dates” available at some supermarkets, specialty grocery stores, and farmers’ markets. Fresh dates have a high sugar content, which intensifies as the fruit is dried; thus, fresh dates differ in both taste and texture from the sugared, desiccated, chopped ones sold in boxes in the baking aisle of the grocery store. Certain varieties, such as Medjool, are more expensive than others because their harvest is more labor intensive.