Dates

The date is a dark brown, oblong, sweet fruit from the date palm tree, which is grown in the Middle East, northern Africa, Spain and California. When fresh, the date has a plump, shiny skin, with rich, chewy flesh and a naturally sweet flavour. The fruit surrounds a large pit that must be removed before eating; this may be done by simply squeezing the date to expose the stone at one end and then pushing it through the other end. It is also possible to buy dates with the pit removed.

There are over 350 different varieties of dates, some of the most popular include:

• Medjool
  A large, sweet and succulent date with deep red, thick flesh.

• Degelt Noor
  A semi-dry date with a mildly sweet flavour. Its name means 'date of light' in Arabic, and is so-called as its centre appears translucent when held up to the sun.
• Hadrawi
  A small, soft-fleshed date with an extremely sweet flavour.

Dates make an excellent snack, and may also be used as an ingredient in cakes, pudding and preserves or savoury Middle Eastern dishes