I just got a big beautiful bunch of organic dates from a kibbutz in Israel! They came to me on the vine, just like this, direct from Israel.
These are literally the most amazing dates I’ve ever tasted… so sweet and moist. Perfection! Now I have a big box of them, so I’ll have to come up with a way to use them all. Any ideas? 🙂
MY OTHER RECIPES
I just visited Israel a month ago and fell in love with these dates at Tamar Bakfar. Seriously, no date in the world can compare! Now I order straight from Israel, just like you!
The best dates are from Algeria. This quality is called “Deglet Nour”. You should try it
Please tell me how I can purchase dates, figs, olive oil, food products and other goods and merchandise directly from Israel.
I belong to the Fellowship Of Christians and Jews, the Jerusalem Prayer Team and other groups who aid the nation of Israel. I want to support the Israel economy by buying foods, clothing and other items. I want to visit Israel and Jerusalem someday. Any information you could email to me would be appreciated. Thank you.
Hi Joe! I will be opening an online market (next week, hopefully) with lots of imports from Israel, including these dates. Subscribe to my site for more updates by entering your email in the subscription box– the box is in the upper right corner of this page (just under the menu bar).
Hey im an israeli-american, 27 yo, family based in israel and resident of statten island for the past 3 years as I hold a dual citizenship. My favorite kind of dates for eating, cooking or baking are definitely the mejhools from neot semadar. My brother Alon sends me around 80 of their super large dates in the original 400g box and I sometimes am lucky to share them with my friends, sometimes I abuse them when i get that need for organic sweets.
Alon opens the box and and uses the little spaces left inside to complete my care-package with other organic products. They’re the only ones I use for my stuffed dates recipe :).
Hope this helps raise awareness to people such as Joe Davis.
Two great uses for our wonderful dates: Chop them and add them to any type of fresh fruit salad and they add a wonderful twist. Also, when I make Moroccan Chamin (cholent but tastes much better) I add about 10 dates and they add color and flavor.
Fill ’em with honeyed cream cheese: http://ohyoucook.blogspot.com/2011/01/stuffed-dates-with-almonds-easy.html
I’ve been looking for fresh dates, here, like the ones I found in the markets in Israel. They are fleshy and moist and need to be refrigerated. Any leads?
Hi Leah, these dates are the ones you’re looking for! I’m hoping to carry them in my online store, which is launching next month. We’ll be shipping them anywhere in the continental U.S. Stay tuned for details.
Oh how beautiful! I’m sure they taste fabulous. What a wonderful treat to receive in the mail. It sure tops junk mail! Looking forward to more on your online market. 🙂
Stuff them with goat cheese! And I will be buying those dates from you, my dearie, if you have them in the online store. I interviewed a man who lived in Saudi Arabia several years back and he gave me the most delish dates I have ever eaten. I’ve been searching for them ever since. Everything pales in comparison.
Those look wonderful.
My mother always rolled them in powdered sugar for the holidays…but she’d let them sit and roll them in sugar 2-3 times so they were powdery and white!
I think if I had them right now, I’d make a vanilla bean biscotti with dates, walnuts and maybe a wee bit of orange zest….then I’d sit back with a cup of coffee, some good friends and great conversation.
Oh wow, vanilla bean date biscotti… sounds awesome!!
My Polish Grandma would pit them, stuff with 1/4 piece of English walnut, and roll in brown sugar. Christmas treats!
YES…nothing like a float down the Jordan. You are well traveled if you’ve experienced that!
You could halve those dates and fill the void with goat cheese that you’ve added your favorite herb and some cayenne pepper. My mouth is watering just thinking of it. Sweet and savory!
The best dates I ever had were purchased at Ein Gedi when we were there. I’m wondering the source of your dates. Your post reminded me of munching on those date (we bought a kilo) while lounging at the Dead Sea, and throughout our trip in Israel. ENJOY!!!
Alan, they are deglet noir dates from kibbutz Neot Semadar. Snacking on dates by the Dead Sea… or floating on the water in Eilat… or down the Jordan river! I miss Israel. Sigh.
Why couldn’t you incorporate chopped dates as a filling into your pie crust pin wheels or the sour cream twists? Maybe even adding some finely chopped pecans. Well, what the heck! The calorie count is already up there anyway.
Mary, I like the way you think!! 😉
A simple one…Soak dates in sea salt warm water for about an hour,coconut milk white rice and caramelized red onions in Sherry,fresh shredded coconut to top and drizz remain Sherry reduction!!!
There are a number of eateries in CA that sell date shakes; see:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2008/05/best-date-shakes-in-southern-california.html
At my local farmer’s market the date lady would sell these amazing bars that were just dates and walnuts, kind of like a Larabar. They were so buttery and sweet tasting I almost didn’t believe they were just the two ingredients.
Or you could try these dairy-free, raw brownies:
http://mynewroots.blogspot.com/2011/04/raw-brownie.html
Right now I’m just snacking on them plain, they’re so good. I’m thinking my first dish will be date nut bread with cream cheese frosting… and I might stuff them as an appetizer for dinner with friends next week. Thanks for the creative, delicious ideas everybody!
Shiksa … No fair … eating (dates) alone for now !!! As 4 the nut bread (my allergies 2 d nuts ) , w/ the frosting …. NICE !!! However, I’m afraid I would have to replace the nuts w/ seeds , or maybe my homemade granola … mmmmm … Tootles >>> Poodles ;^).
I love dates. I’ve never seen them on the vine. Can’t wait to see what you do with them. I imagine when they’re that fresh you hardly have to cook/prepare them.
Summer Salad : Ur favorite leafy greens, toasted walnuts, feta cheese, and those beautiful dates w/ an Orange Cinnamon Vinegrette … U can also place those dates in some Couscous , and for dessert … Date Sorbet, or Date Bread Pudding !!! Have a ball … See U N D Kitchen … Tootles >>> Poodles ;^).
Another treat is to mindfully savor such a good selection of dates along with apricots, nuts and special herb tea.
My favorite is special date recipe is to pit the date, make a small lengthwise slit and stuff with the following: whipped mascarpone cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey.
Top with variety of walnut halves, raspberries,blueberries, strawberry fans, mint, pecan halves or more lemon zest. Have a party and make a variety. For an extra kick add your favorite liquor , such as amaretto, brandy, etc. Also excellent in yogurt with steel cut oats for a special porridge!
Got an interesting recipe for “kitchen sink” cookies.
Too bad it’s not pesach, or you could make sephardic haroset!
eat them stuffed with almonds. or smush them up with some raw tehina on a rice cake!! or put them in a blender with nuts and make little nutty date balls. i love dates. and someone said too bad its not pesach coz you could make charoset…. why wait for pesach???!!! make charoset!!
love your site!
amy
I make chocolate chip sticks, but I have a friend who wanted something different( I bake from home and do chocolates to sell) so I subsituted chocolate chips with chopped dates, chopped figs and pistachio nut and then when they were cool I drizzled chocolate over them. The recipe for the chocolate chip sticks came from the Kosher Palette, page 251. They came out amazing and so easy.
You could make date nut bread, or stuffed dates.