Medjool dates, when ripe, often have a softer texture than other varieties of dates. When it comes to sweetness, dried Medjool dates (Phoenix dactylifera) are usually classified as very sweet. They are three times larger than other varieties.
Culinary uses:
Wikipedia: Dry or soft dates are eaten out-of-hand, or may be pitted and stuffed with fillings such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, candied orange and lemon peel, tahini, marzipan or cream cheese. Pitted dates are also referred to as stoned dates. Partially dried pitted dates may be glazed with glucose syrup for use as a snack food. Dates can also be chopped and used in a range of sweet and savory dishes, from tajines (tagines) in Morocco to puddings, ka'ak (types of Arab cookies) and other dessert items. Date nut bread, a type of cake, is very popular in the United States, especially around holidays. Dates are also processed into cubes, paste called "'ajwa", spread, date syrup or "honey" called "dibs" or "rub" in Libya, powder (date sugar), vinegar or alcohol. Vinegar made from dates is a traditional product of the Middle East. Recent innovations include chocolate-covered dates and products such as sparkling date juice, used in some Islamic countries as a non-alcoholic version of champagne, for special occasions and religious times such as Ramadan.
Harvest and storage:
The harvest time for the large Medjool dates is limited to the period between August and October. Fresh dates are sold frozen and can be stored in the refrigerator a little longer than a week.
Dried dates, however, can be stored for several months so that they are available year-round — although with some loss of quality, especially if they were not properly stored.
Dried dates begin to crystalize after about a year and they become sweeter and have a “brittle-soft” texture.
Raw food:
Most all dates sold outside of the production regions are dried and therefore sold as dried fruit. They usually meet the criteria for being raw.
Nutritional value:
As shown in the third group of tables below, dates are rich in copper and potassium and show average amounts of manganese and magnesium. They also contain calcium, but in below-average amounts.
In terms of vitamins, dates contain primarily pyridoxine (vitamin B6) as well as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5); some varieties also contain folic acid. Additional health benefits are relative as dates contain very few other vitamins, for example, vitamins A and C. Advertising makes it seem as if it were a very different story ...
However, dates are very rich in fiber, and they contain practically no fat (fatty acids) at all. Dates are not a good source of essential amino acids. The same is true for Medjool dates.
General information:
Phoenix dactylifera, commonly known as date or date palm, is a flowering plant species in the palm family, Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its place of origin is unknown because of long cultivation, it probably originated from lands around Iraq. The species is widely cultivated and is naturalized in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.
Date trees typically reach about 21–23 metres (69–75 ft) in height, growing singly or forming a clump with several stems from a single root system. The leaves are 4–6 metres (13–20 ft) long, with spines on the petiole, and pinnate, with about 150 leaflets. The leaflets are 30 cm (12 in) long and 2 cm (0.79 in) wide. The full span of the crown ranges from 6–10 m (20–33 ft).
Other uses:
In Pakistan, a viscous, thick syrup made from the ripe fruits is used as a coating for leather bags and pipes to prevent leaking. Where craft traditions still thrive, such as in Oman, the palm tree is the most versatile of all indigenous plants, and virtually every part of the tree is utilized to make functional items ranging from rope and baskets to beehives, fishing boats, and traditional dwellings.
Seeds:
Date seeds are soaked and ground up for animal feed. Their oil is suitable for use in soap and cosmetics. Date palm seeds contain 0.56–5.4% lauric acid. They can also be processed chemically as a source of oxalic acid. The seeds are also burned to make charcoal for silversmiths, and can be strung in necklaces. Date seeds are also ground and used in the manner of coffee beans, or as an additive to coffee. Experimental studies have shown that feeding mice with the aqueous extract of date pits exhibit anti-genotoxic and reduce DNA damage induced by N-Nitroso-N-methylurea.
Wikipedia tells us that Medjool dates are also called Majdool (Arabic: مجدول) and Medjool are a succulent cultivated variety of date (Phoenix dactylifera) from Morocco, but is also grown in South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, and Palestinian Territories. Medjool dates are described as large soft fruit, with orange-yellowish flesh, and a mildly rich and pleasing flavor by Elhoumaizi, Mohammed Aziz; et al. (2006). Confirmation of 'Medjool' Date as a Landrace Variety through Genetic Analysis of 'Medjool' Accessions in Morocco.
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