My husband and I eagerly await fresh date season every year—starting in August and only lasting a few short months. These yellow dates can vary in size, texture, color, and sweetness, from a pale yellow that’s hard, crisp, and not-so-sweet to a dark ochre yellow that’s softer and sweeter, but not as sweet as the dried kind. I prefer the caramel-like taste that’s found somewhere in-between. Fortunately, my husband prefers the darker sweeter ones, which works out perfectly in our house.
If your local grocery store doesn’t carry dates, try a Middle Eastern or Indian market. I’ll purchase some by the bagful and arrange them in a large bowl to leave out on the counter so they can continue to ripen to our taste. Our favorite time to eat these are for dessert after dinner and before coffee. They are delicious eaten as they are. Just turn the date horizontally and bite into half, remove the pit, and then pop the rest into your mouth.