Date Botanical Name: Phoenix dactylifera
General Description/History: Information to be loaded shortly, please check back soon, thankyou...! - dried fruit of the date palm, native to north Africa - one of the oldest food staples, used for up to 8000 years - dates are oval shaped, 3 – 7 cm long, with slightly crinkled light to dark brown skin - each date contains a single seed which is about 2 cm long - very sweet and a good source of Vitamin C - can be eaten ‘fresh’ or used in cooking, particularly for sweets and desserts - Available: all year
Availability:  Month  Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun   Jul   Aug   Sep   Oct   Nov   Dec   Availability                                                                         All Year
Growing Areas: Most supplies are imported from the Middle East, especially Egypt
Recipes:
Ricotta Cheese Platter with Fruits and Walnuts	Wholemeal Apple and Date Loaf
Interesting Facts and Myths? Historians generally agree that almonds and dates, both mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible, were among the earliest cultivated foods. Date stones from 4,500 BC have been found in Egypt. There are 60 references to date palms in the Old Testament. The average date palm produces about 45 kilograms of dates a year. Top quality date palms can produce as much as 130 to 150 kilograms per year and will produce for 100 years or more.