Food glossary
What is Date?
Date — Widely grown in Arab countries, the date is the fruit of the date palm. Dates are sweet and rich with a chewy, sticky texture. Fresh dates are plump and dark brown with a glossy sheen. Dried dates look very similar and it can be hard to tell the difference if you buy them packaged. Dried dates are often coated in syrup to keep them soft and sticky. As dates are harvested in late autumn and early…
Widely grown in Arab countries, the date is the fruit of the date palm. Dates are sweet and rich with a chewy, sticky texture. Fresh dates are plump and dark brown with a glossy sheen. Dried dates look very similar and it can be hard to tell the difference if you buy them packaged.
Dried dates are often coated in syrup to keep them soft and sticky. As dates are harvested in late autumn and early winter, this is when the best selection is available in the shops and they're more likely to be fresh. Fresh or dried, they keep really well - for at least a few months in a cool, dark cupboard. They also freeze well.