Date

About

There are thousands of date cultivars, often known by different local names. Dates are generally categorized by softness (soft, semi-soft, dry) and ripeness stage (unripe, semi-ripe, fully ripe); dry dates are dense and long-lasting, historically a staple for desert travelers. Common commercial varieties include the soft Medjool and semi-soft Deglet Nour, though many regional varieties exist with distinct sizes, sweetness and textures ranging from granular and chewy to syrupy and silky.

Pairs well with date

• SuEggIn the Middle East, eggs are commonly scrambled with chopped dates or served alongside date syrup, an unusual pairing to a Western palate.
• CiOrangeSliced orange and date with a touch of orange flower water and cinnamon (or torn mint and sugar in summer) makes a simple but excellent…
• FrTomatoBritish brown sauce, the condiment found alongside ketchup at roadside cafés, is made primarily from tomato and dates, along with vinegar,…
• SpCinnamonCinnamon and cardamom both flavor dates; cinnamon-spiced date paste fills the Maghrebi semolina cake makroudh, called bradj in Algeria,…
• CrCoconutShredded coconut cakes studded with date pieces are a classic sweet pairing.
• CiGingerGinger's lean, sharp bite contrasts with the sugary, brown-sugar sweetness of dates, a pairing common in sweet dishes; both ingredients…
• BeMintIn Morocco, mint tea is offered to guests constantly, often alongside a few dates, the herb and fruit drawing out each other's aromas.
• ChCheeseDates with cheese - feta, aged Gouda, or Gorgonzola - alongside bread, tomatoes, and honey make a simple, satisfying combination in the…
• FfVanillaVanilla's floral, spicy notes complement dates especially well in a date milkshake, where ice cream further enriches the flavor.
• FfHoney'Honey dates' are dates grown from seed rather than propagated by offshoot, a growing method, not a separate variety.
• CiLimeBrown sugar and lime is a classic pairing that pushes sweet-and-sour flavor to an extreme, since lime has about half the natural sugar of…
• RoSesameDates are traditionally eaten to break the Ramadan fast for a quick energy boost, sometimes dipped in tahini.
• RoCoffeeA little dark-roast coffee added to date purée gives it a caramel-like depth.
• CrBananaDate's caramel flavor makes it a natural stand-in for banoffee's toffee element: layered with sliced banana and a little cream and…
• SuCauliflowerRaw cauliflower florets, chopped dates and chopped walnuts combine well in a salad, typically dressed with sour cream, mayonnaise, maple…
• FrPlumFresh (rather than dried) Bahri dates are available in fall and pair especially well with seasonal fruit such as plum and apple, also melon.
• CrPruneAn intense combination best used as one or the other, not together.
• WoOatA simple date bar, sticky, dark dates with no tartness to offset a sweet oat topping, distinguished mainly by a salty crumble layer and…
• WoCashewBoth ingredients lose some character when processed smooth: cashew butter can taste bland or papery compared to whole nuts, and date purée…
• WoPecanSaudi Sugai dates, brown with a slightly crunchy, cream-colored top, resembling a miniature Irish coffee, are considered a particularly…
• WoPine nutThe Korean glutinous rice cake yaksik is made with pine nuts and jujube dates, which taste like sun-dried candy apples.
• WoSweet potatoThe complex flavor of a date, left to melt in the mouth rather than chewed, has been described as combining honey, sweet potato, sugar…
• WoPistachioDates and pistachios are as naturally complementary as chocolate and hazelnut.
• FrTamarindA popular Indian chutney combines tamarind pulp and jaggery (or brown sugar) with pitted dates, grated ginger, ground cumin and coriander,…
• SpNigella seedThe Iraqi cookie kleicha wraps date paste and cardamom in a pastry topped with nigella seeds, whose bitter, toasty flavor offsets the…
• MuTurnipThe Iraqi Jewish dish shalgham helu is sweet, stewed turnip, traditionally sold from street carts as an after-school snack.