Dates! Who knew?

[Desert Tortoise]

Besides price (+$3 to $4/lb), what is the difference between Medjool dates and the smaller dates?

(I've looked for a name on the smaller ones but doesn't say a type like the Medjools)

Thanks,
dt

[OakLeaf]

Most of the smaller ones you see in the stores are deglet noor.

From Wikipedia:

Three main cultivar groups of date exist: soft (e.g. 'Barhee', 'Halawy', 'Khadrawy', 'Medjool'), semi-dry (e.g. 'Dayri', 'Deglet Noor', 'Zahidi'), and dry (e.g. 'Thoory'). The type of fruit depends on the glucose, fructose and sucrose content....Most commercial plantations thus use cuttings of heavily cropping cultivars, mainly 'Medjool' as this cultivar produces particularly high yields of large, sweet fruit.

I've got to go to the store this afternoon anyway ... now I've got dates in my head and won't be able to leave without any.

[Desert Tortoise]

Thanks! Wow, if the smaller ones are considered semi-dry, the Medjool must be like syrup. Now I'm going to have to try the Medjool.

dt

[Catrin]

I've never tried dates. not really. I didn't like them when they were included in other things. Perhaps I need to give them a chance again

[ultraviolet]

I have a few dates left over from a dinner gathering last week. They've been sitting in a Ziplock in my fridge while I thought of what to do with them. This morning, I chopped one up and put it in my plain Fage yogurt...it was yum. I think I've found my breakfasts for the rest of the week.