The Many Varieties of Dates

There are dates to suit all tastes!

The Middle East is the primary date growing region in the world. It is also the largest consumer of dates, and considers the Medjool date a delicacy - "The Fruit of Kings."

In the 1920's, several Medjool offshoots were imported to the United States from French Morocco. From these original offshoots, Medjool acreage has grown. Plantings were made in southern California, Arizona, Texas, Florida and several other locations in between. It was discovered that dates grew best - and especially the Medjool - in areas where temperatures were high, humidity very low and an abundant supply of water was available to the roots. This has had the effect of limiting commercial production in the United States to the southwest.

Production of Medjool Dates is also limited in the Middle East. In fact, a portion of the U.S. Medjool crop is exported to several Middle Eastern countries.

The Coachella Valley is well known for its production of high quality Medjool Dates. Medjool date palms require very high temperatures and low humidity with abundant supply of water to the roots from maximum production. Medjool Dates are a soft, tender skinned date, with outstanding flavor. They are plump in appearance and average over two inches in length, teeming with sweet, natural sugar.

• DEGLET NOOR: A semi-dry date, originally imported from Algeria, possesses a delicate flavour, and is firm-textured in appearance, with a colour range from light red to amber or straw. Makes up 90% of California's crop.
  

• HALAWY: A soft date, thick flesh, caramelly and sweet, is somewhat wrinkled in appearance, with a yellow colour ripening to a light amber and then to a golden brown. Originally this date was imported from Iraq.
  

• KHADRAWY: A soft date originally imported from Iraq, it has many desirable qualities. It cures well, it ripens to amber, then cured to a reddish brown, with a caramel like texture and a sweet flavour.
  

• ZAHIDI: A semi-dry date from Iraq, distinguished by its large seed in proportion to the fruit itself. This date lends itself well to processing and softening by steam hydration. This date is known for its high invert sugar level and is widely used to make diced dates and date sugar products. It features a crunchy and fibrous flesh.
  

• THOORY: Often called "Bread Date". Driest date variety, with firm skin, less sticky; flesh chewiest and is the staple diet of the Nomadic tribes of the desert countries of the world.
  

• MEDJOOL: This is the "Cadillac" of dates. The original Medjool date variety was introduced into the Coachella Valley of California from Morocco in 1927. Seaview Ranch has thousands of Medjool date palms shipping these delightful delicacies all over the world !
  

• SOFT DATES-
  Boast a soft flesh, high moisture content with high sugar content.
  

• SEMI-DRY DATES-
  Feature a firm flesh, fairly low moisture content, and high sugar content.
  

• DRY DATES:
  (Known as "Bread Dates") have a high sugar content, low moisture content and dry, hard flesh.
  

Because of their high natural sugar, Medjools will sometimes form a white powder film on the skin, this is the natural sugars coming to the surface and does not affect the flavour. As dates lose moisture, sugar crystals will form under the skin. If this is undesirable, you can steam the dates for approximatedly 10 minutes, or place them on a baking tray, cover with a wet towel and keep them in a warm oven for about 15 minutes. The sugars will melt back into the dates.

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