Dates! Who knew?

[marni]

something else to consider is that if you worry about estrogen related cancers, is that you should be avoiding sugar as much as possible, so fresh dates would be preferable to dried ditto for most fruits, plus there is the extra fiber, minerals, and mositure in fresh fruit.

just a thought. I have the same problem with figs- but the fresh, if you can get the are delicious and sensuous, just have to keep my quantities extremely limited.

[Susan]

I once bought fresh dates in a turkish grocery. They were very crunchy and had a mouth-feel similar to green bananas.
I thought that maybe I didn't know something about them, that they would need to be dried or cooked or anything, because they weren't delicious at all but reading your comments thats maybe the way they are supposed to taste

[lauraelmore1033]

I once bought fresh dates in a turkish grocery. They were very crunchy and had a mouth-feel similar to green bananas.
I thought that maybe I didn't know something about them, that they would need to be dried or cooked or anything, because they weren't delicious at all but reading your comments thats maybe the way they are supposed to taste

Yeah, I had no idea they came any other way (than the brown shriveled things you look at in the produce department and pass over) Mouth fee similar to green bananas--No thanks.

[OakLeaf]

the brown shriveled things you look at in the produce department and pass over

Pass over? Pass over?! It's a struggle for me not to buy and eat every dried date I see.




And - if figs are any comparison - then by all means, if you're in the PNW, eat a freakin' apple, but if dates are grown near you and brought fresh and ripe to the market, try some and get back to us! Grocery store fresh figs in the north are just plain nasty, and I totally love fresh figs when I'm in California or Florida in the late summer. Once in a while I'll make an exception to local and seasonal to try something exotic, and I nearly always regret it.

[badger]

I would take a medjool date out of a child's hand. They are pure decadence and little angels dance on my tongue when I eat them.

[lauraelmore1033]

Pass over? Pass over?! It's a struggle for me not to buy and eat every dried date I see.

And - if figs are any comparison - then by all means, if you're in the PNW, eat a freakin' apple, but if dates are grown near you and brought fresh and ripe to the market, try some and get back to us! Grocery store fresh figs in the north are just plain nasty, and I totally love fresh figs when I'm in California or Florida in the late summer. Once in a while I'll make an exception to local and seasonal to try something exotic, and I nearly always regret it.

Well, I just never had dates growing up. They just don't LOOK like something that would be so devistatingly delicious.
I will get back to you if I ever try a fresh date.

[GLC1968]

Oh yeah...fresh figs are incredible. I'd never had one until we moved here and WOW...unbelievable! In season, ripe off the tree...they kind of remind me of strawberries but with a different flavor. Hard to explain but worth the wait to get them in season!

In fact, around here, some fig trees will fruit twice a year (mild enough climate) if there is enough sun.

But yeah, I don't think fresh dates are going to be very prevalent in the PNW.

[badger]

*drool* I LOVE fresh figs, especially the big, black kind. My grandparents had a fig tree in the back and I would eat them off the tree - SO yummy!

It never seems to get hot enough to ripen the figs here in Vancouver.

[shootingstar]

I love fresh figs. I've made a dessert focaccia by embedding cut halves of fresh figs, with grated ginger root, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey drizzle and abit of grated lemon rind with juice.

It's lovely.

[lauraelmore1033]

I love fresh figs. I've made a dessert focaccia by embedding cut halves of fresh figs, with grated ginger root, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey drizzle and abit of grated lemon rind with juice.

It's lovely.

that sounds very tasty

[Catrin]

I've never even SEEN fresh figs or dates before, let alone eaten them. I doubt that I can find them in central Indiana, but will keep my eye out at a couple of stores that stocks a wider variety of fruit than the norm. I love the dried figs that are available, so fresh has got to be very good. I don't care for what dates I've tried before - but of course they weren't fresh but the usual kind you find in the store.

[OakLeaf]

Unless you can get a lot better figs in Indiana than you can in Ohio, I'd pass. It's just like anything else. You know what happens if you buy blueberries from South America in December. They're mushy and tasteless and a huge disappointment when you know what they're supposed to taste like. It's the same thing with figs. Most likely with dates, too, though I don't know what a "real" fresh date tastes like.

Maybe you're lucky and can find a local grower at your farmer's market. There are actually a few fig varieties that can be grown in our climate, with some extra care in the winter time, but it's way too much work to grow them commercially in any quantity.

[Catrin]

Maybe you're lucky and can find a local grower at your farmer's market. There are actually a few fig varieties that can be grown in our climate, with some extra care in the winter time, but it's way too much work to grow them commercially in any quantity.

This is a good idea, I will do that. There are a couple of local farmer's market locations I visit - though far less frequently than I should.

[MrsOski]

my fave date "recipe": when craving cheesecake, stuff one dried date with about a tbsp of cream cheese or goat cheese. eat. restrain from eating another, if you can. I usually can't. lol

[lauraelmore1033]

Yes, I've noticed that dates go very well with cheese; A mini babybel and a date, maybe two, and I'm one contented kitty. Purrr, purrr...

BTW, i've lost 15 pounds now on WW since I started after Christmas (almost 20 in all!) so I think it's a safe indulgence