Question about dates (the fruit!)

[Kathryn]

Has anyone ever seen a non-dried date?

I was thinking about this recently, because I know what non-dried prunes (plums) raisins (grapes) and figs (still figs) look like, but from looking at dates, I can't figure out what they look like on a tree, or if they are even edible that way (like figs are).

 

Any date experts here?

[loveliberate]

I've seen them plump and on the palm tree in the SW US. Didja do a google photo search yet?

[Kathryn]

Didja do a google photo search yet?

 

No. Too lazy at the moment!

[Daywalker]

It's funny, an hour before i read this post yesterday i said the same thing to K-oz, that i've never had or even seen a not dried date... She had one, and said they're VERY very sweet. I always thought they are so sweet because they're dried, but apparently they're as sweet when fresh.

[Astrocat]

hahaaa yes i had lots of lovely moist local fresh organic tasty dates when i was in California for 3 months (that was about 2 years ago or something) , they were more like sweet caramel or something, very pudding-y i thought, while I've had assorted more dried ones which ranged from being a bit toffeeish to being somewhat treacle-y but with a touch of toffee about it.

 

They have all been wonderful !

[Astrocat]

also, voila - for your visual reception enjoyment purposes, here is a lovely date-palm tree, laden down with moistly sexy fresh dates -

http://static.flickr.com/23/26561572_6cb168c8dd_m.jpg

 

(^-^) mmmm-mmmmmm.

[Kathryn]

So they're kind of tan when they're fresh?

What is the texture like? Like a plum?

I wonder why they are never sold fresh.

 

(I'm intrigued by details!)

[_raVen_]

How funny. kat, check my journal .

 

They are unripe when yellow, like an avocado is unripe when you buy them hard. When they are brown and gooey, they are ripe, not dried.

[Kathryn]

Raven, thank you so much!

Just the info I was looking for!

 

Now, I won't have that nagging curiosity on that unanswered question (though I'm sure to come up with more!).

 

Quite interesting. I always assumed dates were dried (and they're sold with other 'dried' fruit, so that misconception is rampant: though when you come to think of it, they actually seem to ripen and (air)dry a bit.)

 

So what texture are they like unripe? (I told you I'd have more questions!)

[_raVen_]

.

 

Hmmm...drat! I didn't think to cut one open... I'll do that next time; I'll pick some up this weekend from the Farmers' Market, if the date merchant still has them.

But, yes, they are hard and you can tell they are unripe, just like an avo is hard.

 

I used to get confused too, when I'd see "fresh dates" in an ingredient list for a recipe; but I know they mean the ripened ones and not right-off-the-tree- "fresh" dates.

 

Do you shop at Trader Joe's? They have the dried dates in bags with the oat flour coating. They are definitely inferior in taste! (still good though; I used to eat them before I knew better!) Date sugar -- same.

 

Ah, here they are: Dried dates...

 

http://www.thenutfactory.com/photos/fruit-dried-dates-chopped.jpg

[Kathryn]

That photo looks like something I've seen in my cats' litter boxes!

 

I've eaten some dried dates. Years ago, the coop I worked at used to carry the chunks (also powdered with oat flour; what's up with that?).

 

No, dried dates don't look too appealing, but they would work well in that "litter box cake" that someone posted a picture of in another thread (and that I've been trying to figure out a vegan version of...actually, hoping that someone else will come up with a vegan version of it that I could make).