I just discovered dates

[mtnbkr]

I've had dried dates in trail mix and baked goods before, but I recently "discovered" them as a whole fruit.  It's the closest thing to a natural candy I can think of.  Wow!  They are really really good.  I love the flavor and the texture (kind of chewy like saltwater taffy).  Wifey bought half a pound for me last night and I ate some for desert and the rest for breakfast this morning.

My tongue is happy and content.

Chris

[El Tejon]

Not only your mouth but the other end will be happy as well.  Dates are high in fiber and low in blood mud.

A great food:  http://www.chinaranch.com/dates.html

[cosine]

As in whole fruit, do you mean fresh dates, or whole dehydrated dates?

[The Rabbi]

I've seen fresh dates once in a store.  Never had them.
The dried ones are great.  Especially the giant Medjool dates.

[Manedwolf]

Ancient civilizations in the middle east considered them a delicacy for good reason! They're all over Egyptian records. The best, sweetest ones were enjoyed by pharaohs, nobles, wealthy merchants and scribes. (Scribes got paid a lot!) Dates were used in sweetbreads, to flavor beer, all sorts of things. They were pretty much their candy.

[mtnbkr]

As in whole fruit, do you mean fresh dates, or whole dehydrated dates?

I guess these are fresh dates.  They're whole, including the pit, but kind of wrinkled and dryish.  They're not packaged, but in bins at the produce section of the store.  They're about the length of my thumb and a bit thicker.

Chris

[Harold Tuttle]

get some figs too!

[The Rabbi]

As in whole fruit, do you mean fresh dates, or whole dehydrated dates?

I guess these are fresh dates.  They're whole, including the pit, but kind of wrinkled and dryish.  They're not packaged, but in bins at the produce section of the store.  They're about the length of my thumb and a bit thicker.

Chris

No, those are dried.  Fresh dates are green and look like star fruit or something in their perishability.

[280plus]

stuff your dates with peanut butter. Some go as far as including a walnut stuck in the pb and the whole thing rolled in sugar. But I don't want to be ruining all the healthiness going on. 

[mtnbkr]

get some figs too!

I've been a long time fan of figs (fresh, dried, in newtons, as preserves, etc).  If a collegue of mine ever follows through with his offer, I'll have some fig plants of my own.  I was under the impression they don't grow well around here, but he figured out how to winterize them and has several large fig bushes in his yard.

No, those are dried.  Fresh dates are green and look like star fruit or something in their perishability.

Ok, then I've never seen fresh dates.  Dried is quite fine by me though.  BTW, what's the texture of a fresh date like?

stuff your dates with peanut butter. Some go as far as including a walnut stuck in the pb and the whole thing rolled in sugar. But I don't want to be ruining all the healthiness going on. 

Oh man, I LOVE peanut butter.  Walnuts too.  I can do without the extra sugar though. 

I'm going for a long ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway tomorrow.  I may take a half pound of dried dates and a peanut butter (whole wheat) sandwhich to munch on at some scenic overlook.

Chris

[K Frame]

Phew...

I thought you were stepping out on Michelle or something...

 

I like dates when cooked into foods, but I'm not all that crazy about them on their own.

One of the standard Christmas snacks at my family's house for years, though, was dates stuffed with cream cheese with a pecan half on top. Those were actually quite good.

[JonnyB]

I dunno 'bout dates but prunes are just fine with me. Not as sweet & sticky as dates or figs.

jb

[cosine]

As in whole fruit, do you mean fresh dates, or whole dehydrated dates?

I guess these are fresh dates.  They're whole, including the pit, but kind of wrinkled and dryish.  They're not packaged, but in bins at the produce section of the store.  They're about the length of my thumb and a bit thicker.

Chris

Those are the huge Medjool dates. They are dehydrated, not fresh. They're really good, aren't they? Far superior to those little hard bits called dates in muesli and such.

I had fresh dates once, but it was so long ago I've forgotten what they were like. For some reason, I vaguely remember not liking them, even though I love dried dates. Should probably see if I can find some fresh dates and try them again.