Medjool Dates
Estimated Inventory, 11 lbs : 48.09
This item was last sold on : 12/20/24
Description/Taste
Medjool dates are plump and cylindrical in shape, measuring about 2 to 3 inches in length and an inch in diameter. The skin is glossy and tender with a maple-brown hue, and the meaty amber-colored pulp offers a chewy texture and candy-like sweetness with hints of caramel, honey, and cinnamon. Encased in the meaty pulp is a single elongated pit, which is removed before consumption. Don’t be deterred if there is a bit of white film on the fruit’s surface, as that's just natural sugars crystalizing and rising to the top of the skin. Date fruits grow in clusters on the date palm tree, and more than 1,000 dates may appear on a single bunch. Date palms are known to live as long as 150 years, though their fruit production declines with older age. The Medjool date is typically left to ripen on the tree in order to maximize its natural sugar development.
Seasons/Availability
Medjool dates are available year-round.
Current Facts
The date palm is in the plant family, Arecaceae, and the Medjool is a variety of date botanically classified as Phoenix dactylifera. Dates are further classified as one of three types: dry, semi-dry and soft. The Medjool is considered to be a soft variety. Medjool dates originated in Morocco where they are also known as Mejhool dates. They have earned a reputation as the "king of dates" or the "crown jewel of dates” because of their superior flavor, consistency, size, and availability.
Nutritional Value
Dates are rich in fiber, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamin B complex, and proteins, offering almost all twenty amino acids. They also contain calcium, iron, magnesium, and more potassium per weight than a banana. Many of the nutrients in dates are essential for heart-health, nerve function, and promoting metabolic functions, and the vitamins found in dates are needed for building healthy muscle and body tissue.
Applications
Medjool dates can be used in both raw and cooked applications. Their natural sweetness makes them great for eating fresh, just take care when biting into one as many whole dates still have pits, though some commercial sellers will package dates that are pre-pitted. The large size of Medjool dates lends well for stuffing with sweet or savory fillings such as marzipan, candied orange, lemon peel, tahini, goat or blue cheese, bacon, or nuts like almonds, pecans, walnuts, and pistachios. Dates can also simply be chopped into salads, sandwiches, and pasta or rice dishes, and their sweetness is a great complement to many savory vegetable and meat dishes, like lamb, pork, or poultry. Dates are also often blended into smoothies, pressed into syrup, or used in baked goods like cakes, cookies, desserts, pies, and bread. One of the most popular baked applications being maamoul, a Middle Eastern cookie filled with date pudding. Although their high sugar content makes dates fairly shelf stable, they can be kept fresh for longer when stored in the refrigerator. They'll keep safely for about a month to a month and a half at room temperature, up to 6 months in the fridge, and up to a year in the freezer.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
The Medjool has always been immensely popular throughout the Middle East. It was historically used by the Ancient Egyptians for making some of the earliest forms of wine, and by the Muslims in their religious observations. The date is believed to be the first food Muhammad ate after breaking from his fast during Ramadan, and is still a traditional part of present day Islamic practice.
Geography/History
In the 1920's the growing of Medjool dates became very popular in the United States particularly in California and Arizona. Date palms have an extensive history in the Middle East where they have been an important source for both food and building materials thousands of years. They are first thought to have been cultivated in the Persian Gulf region as early as 4,000 BC and are considered to be one of the earliest domesticated crops. The spread of the date throughout the Mediterranean, Europe, Asia as well as Africa is attributed to the far reaching colonization of the Arabs.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Marriott Gaslamp | San Diego CA | 619-696-0234 x6051 |
| Trust Restaurant | San Diego CA | 609-780-7572 |
| The Whaling Bar | La Jolla CA | 858-355-9218 |
| The Handmade Chef Meal Prep Co. | San Diego CA | 619-368-3705 |
| Siamo Napoli | San Diego CA | 619-300-4810 |
| Urban Kitchen Catering | San Diego CA | 619-276-8803 |
| The Santaluz Club Inc - Main Dining | San Diego CA | 858-759-3150 |
| Moniker Coffee Company (Bar Food) | San Diego CA | 916-945-6721 |
| The Flavor Chef (Catering) | Vista CA | 619-295-3172 |
| Kairoa Brewing Company | San Diego CA | 858-735-0051 |
| Seneca | San Diego CA | 619-588-2411 |
| Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe | Rancho Santa Fe CA | 858-759-6063 |
| Hotel La Jolla - Sea & Sky | La Jolla CA | 858-459-0261 |
| Green Acres Campus | San Diego CA | 858-450-9907 |
| Farmer and The Seahorse | San Diego CA | 619-302-3682 |
| Catania La Jolla | La Jolla CA | 858-551-5105 |
| The Compass | Carlsbad CA | 760-434-1900 |
| Gravity Heights Mission Valley | San Diego CA | 619-384-5993 |
| We Olive La Jolla | San Diego CA | 858-551-8250 |
| Secret Sister | San Diego CA | 619-281-0718 |
| Parisien Gourmandises | La Jolla CA | 858-352-6552 |
| Gravity Heights Restaurant and Brewery | San Diego CA | 858-551-5105 |
| Tribute Pizza | San Diego CA | 858-220-0030 |
| Encontro North Park | San Diego CA | 310-955-6333 |
| Wormwood | San Diego CA | 619-573-0289 |
| Carruth Cellars Urban Winery | San Diego CA | 619-546-9300 |
| Hazel & Jade Bakery | San Diego CA | 804-815-8052 |
| Golden Door | San Marcos CA | 760-761-4142 |
| The Seabird Resort | Oceanside CA | 951-704-9703 |
| Jeune Et Jolie Bar | Carlsbad CA | 858-231-0862 |
| Georges at the Cove | San Diego CA | 858-454-4244 |
| Bar Ella | San Diego CA | 858-808-2286 |
| Toast Cafe | San Diego CA | 858-208-9422 |
| Toast Catering | San Diego CA | 619-795-9135 |
| Cal A Vie | Vista CA | 760-945-2055 |
| insideOUT | San Diego CA | 619-888-8623 |
Recipe Ideas
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