# Fresh Dates



## SurvivorGirl (Sep 29, 2007)

Does anyone know what to do with them other then just eat them raw?
thx


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## Uncle Bob (Sep 29, 2007)

Think candies....


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## licia (Sep 29, 2007)

I've never had fresh dates. I would have to told what to do with them also.


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## Barb L. (Sep 29, 2007)

OK, I give - what are the dates boughten in the store compared to fresh?  Guess I never thought about it.  Love date drop cookies !


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## Uncle Bob (Sep 29, 2007)

Miss Barb, 

The dates I think of when I think "fresh" dates are found in stores in the fall.
So starting now say through November would be a good time to find them maybe in produce departments. The type I see are the Medjool Dates. I warn you, if you buy some you will eat the whole package without stopping!


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## SurvivorGirl (Sep 29, 2007)

We've never gotten them before, but picked them up today and cut into them. we put them in a salad through recommendations found on the internet and I was wondering what else you can put them in. 
Have you ever tried them in any recipes? if so please post em we'd love to try them


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## Green Lady (Sep 29, 2007)

I use them to sweeten smoothies instead of honey or sugar.  Sometimes I just stuff them with almond butter, tahini, a raw almond, etc. and serve as a treat.  Some stuff them with cream cheese that has been softened.  If you have any raw uncookbooks there are plenty of recipes using them.  I get mine from a place in Arizona.  I just call the guy up and tell him what I want and he ships them to me.  I order the medjools and they are to die for.

Here's an easy recipe:

Date - Coconut Logs (recipe by Rhonda Malkmus)

2 cups organic dates
1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

Use the "S" blade of a food processor and grind dates until a dough-like consistency is reached.  Be sure to pit the dates and remove the caps.  Wet your hands and shape into logs and roll in coconut.


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## SurvivorGirl (Sep 29, 2007)

hmmm, ok heres a question, when we cut into our fresh dates they looked like the inside of a green apple. the outside is dark brown/purple, is this right? are they ripe?
also, I looked up 'medjools' on google images and they looked wrinkled (like the dried dates) are they fresh?


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## Green Lady (Sep 29, 2007)

I don't think the dates I get are dried, but medjools are a little wrinkley.  I never saw the inside looking like the inside of a green apple. If you want, I could give you the name and phone # of the guy I order mine from in AZ.  I need to place an order soon as I am running out.  I usually order 15# worth and divvy them up into small containers and freeze until needed.


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## SurvivorGirl (Sep 29, 2007)

hmmm, I'll have to look around for medjool dates.
I don't know if we'd end up ordering but thanks for the offer of the #


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## Green Lady (Oct 2, 2007)

SurvivorGirl said:


> hmmm, ok heres a question, when we cut into our fresh dates they looked like the inside of a green apple. the outside is dark brown/purple, is this right? are they ripe?
> also, I looked up 'medjools' on google images and they looked wrinkled (like the dried dates) are they fresh?


 
I was thinking about what you wrote, that your dates looked like the inside of a green apple.  Are you sure you had dates, or might they be figs? Did they have a lot of little seeds in them, and a soft inside?  If so, they might be figs, not dates.


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## ChefJune (Oct 2, 2007)

We used to make candies with them at Christmas, by stuffing them with homemade fudge (or you could use ganache) and then rolling them in granulated sugar.

My father could eat them by the dozens.   They are also delicious stuffed with peanut or almond butter.


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## licia (Oct 2, 2007)

Green Lady, good point. I don't remember ever seeing "fresh" dates for sale here.


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## elaine l (Oct 2, 2007)

slice and stuff them with goat cheese and wrap with proscuitto bake in oven.


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## Caine (Oct 3, 2007)

Slap his face, send him home without a good night kiss, and instruct him never to call you again.  The nerve of some guys!


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## Lynan (Oct 3, 2007)

Caine said:


> Slap his face, send him home without a good night kiss, and instruct him never to call you again. The nerve of some guys!




I have a wee box of medjools in the fridge at the moment. Lovely on a cheeseboard, stuffed with marzipan and chocolate dipped ( flavour homemade marzipan with rosewater for a Middle Eastern flavour!) and I adore them chopped with preserved ginger, dried apricots...mixed into cream cheese and used as a filling with wholegrain bread.


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## Green Lady (Oct 3, 2007)

Caine said:


> Slap his face, send him home without a good night kiss, and instruct him never to call you again. The nerve of some guys!


 
I hate to admit it, but I had to read this one twice before I got it! LOL!  I thought it was in the wrong thread at first.....


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## Yakuta (Oct 3, 2007)

Best thing to make is a date and tamarind chutney.  

Use about a cup of dates.  You can cut them up and put them in a pan
Add about 2 cups of water and cook on low until they are soft and break easily with a spoon (turns into mush). 
Add tamarind concentrate (available in most Asian or Indian stores) about 2 tbsp to this. 

Stir to combine

Add 3-4tbsp of brown sugar, pinch of freshly roasted and ground cumin and pinch of chili powder, small pinch of salt.  Again let it all cook on low for 15-20 minutes so the flavors mingle.

Let the chutney cool and then pour in a glass jar and refrigerate.  It is a great dipping sauce for any types of kabob's or samosas or fritters.


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## Bacondise City (Oct 6, 2007)

i slap fresh dates and say "tut, tut!" 

just kidding, i know you're talking about nuts.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Oct 6, 2007)

The best place on the planet to find out about dates is in Twenty-Nine Palms California.  They grow many kinds of date palms there and you will find a date to fit almost every need.  Some are very sweet and gooey, almost like eating sweet mollases with a crinkly skin, while others are somewhat dry and bland.

Dates aren't dried.  They are a fruit that come as they are from the tree when ripened.  Dates can be mashed and mixed with nuts to form a filling for cookies (my Mother made the best date-filled cookies every Christmas), then can be chopped and added to salads, hot cereals such as farina or oatmeal, they can be used in sauces, added to cake batters, and sprinkled over ice cream.

Finding a wide variety of dates in the supermarkets is difficult.  But if you can, choose dates that are dark, rich, and gooey.  They are messy to eat, but taste great.

Seeeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## licia (Dec 1, 2007)

I've found some fresh dates at my local grocery.  They are so much better than the ones I'd bought in the package and used for cooking.  The price seems a bit steep $5.49 a pound and there aren't that many in a pound, but they are worth it.  I haven't decided what we will do with them other than just eat out of hand. I also bought some shelled brazil nuts so they are great together, as would any nut be with the dates.


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## redkitty (Jan 26, 2008)

Thought I would bump this thread instead of starting a new one.

I just bought some Medjool dates today, sooo yummy!   I usually eat a couple with a handful of almonds as a snack.  I've also made some lovely banana date cookies that are super scrummy.  Oh and another good snack is a banana mashed up with 2 chopped dates stuffed into celery sticks.

Any other ideas about how to use these lovely sweet little things??


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 26, 2008)

redkitty said:


> Thought I would bump this thread instead of starting a new one.
> 
> I just bought some Medjool dates today, sooo yummy! I usually eat a couple with a handful of almonds as a snack. I've also made some lovely banana date cookies that are super scrummy. Oh and another good snack is a banana mashed up with 2 chopped dates stuffed into celery sticks.
> 
> Any other ideas about how to use these lovely sweet little things??


 
Ok, that does it!! Fire up the jet and come get me!! I LOVE Medjool dates, plain or with an almond stuffed inside....Please come get me!!!!! I used to get sick off of a date loaf candy that was made here at Twins Oaks....I'm packing now!! Hurry!!!!!!!!!


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## redkitty (Jan 26, 2008)

OOOOOOOOH, almonds stuffed inside!  Genius!!!

(jet is about fired up)


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## Maverick2272 (Feb 17, 2008)

I've had a few stale dates in my lifetime... oh wait.. you mean the fruit...


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## babetoo (Feb 17, 2008)

*date bread*

why couldn't u make date bars. gotta be a recipe somewhere. i have made them many times, just not so called "fresh"  went to foodtv.com. they have several for dates. doesn't say what kind, just chopped dates. sounded very good by the way. 

babe


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