How to choose the best dates in Oman
Although the answer might be very simple – just take what you like, sometimes it is not so easy. When you are in countries that have an extremely wide selection of dates, this task might be really difficult. Different types, tastes, shapes and textures. Add to that different place of origins and countries. Well, for me it is getting more and more complicated.
Apart form that, their sweetness, dryness, softness and texture. Some with seeds, some without. Some stuffed with dried fruits and some with nuts. Bigger and smaller. Paler and darker. Softer and harder. Some used for eating raw and some for cooking. Some of them to pair with coffee and some to be used for baking. Yes, as the variety and the selection is so wide, the choice is getting more and more difficult. If it was not complicated enough, add to that dates’ origin and their storing period. Finally, buying perfect dates gets almost impossible.
Let’s start with that, that when you are in countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Egypt, Oman, Qatar or Turkey, you will definitively see a lot of dates. Dried and fresh. Dates packed in boxes, and dates pilled on heaps. These hanging on cut branches and these in bags. Dates in vacuum bags and dates on silver plates. These for storing for a long time and these to be consumed in a relatively short time.
How to choose dates?
The best thing to start with is to answer on couple of basic questions. The first one will be related to the origin of dates.
Origin of dates
Although some dates are considered to be better than others, and some countries are believed to have the best types of dates, I would suggest buying local products. Remember that although you can not be 100% sure about dates’ naturality it is always much more probable that these from the motherland will be deprived of preservatives and chemicals.
Long transports, the waiting time before being delivered and the time that is needed to pick them, sort, deliver to the logistic center and send them to the exporter, all that makes it very important to keep dates in a good condition. That is why adding to dates chemicals protecting them from insects and fungus is very common. Apart from that, preservatives that guarantee their freshness and softness are put to dates too. Not surprising because who would like to get dates that would not be tender and would be with the texture completely different from their original one?
All that said above, I would really recommend you selecting dates that derive from the country in which you are buying them. The best option would be even to buy these from the local area, in their place of picking. And ideally from an organic orchid that would be classified as an ecological one where no pesticides are used and where traditional cultivation methods are followed.
So, when you are in Oman, buy these from Oman. If in Tunisia, these from Tunis, when in Saudi Arabia, opt for these from Saudi Arabia and so on.
Packing method of dates
The second quite important question is related to the packing way of dates. These most popular ways include paper boxes, vacuum bags, regular plastic bags, plastic buckets and regular bags.
Depending on the purpose of buying dates, select the most convenient form. But as long as these dates are going to be for you and you plan to eat them relatively quickly, buy these that are not packed in any advanced method. The best thing would be to have them in a paper bag that is not only ecological but that also limits the amount of added preservatives to dates.
If you plan to keep your dates in an untouched form for a long time, select these in a vacuum package. Maybe that is not the best form but still guarantees a long-lasting period of the product.
Then come beautiful boxes with dates. That is the best option if you are going to give these delights to your friends, relatives or anyone else. These packages are in a different shape and size and usually contain a lot of information about the product. You will get information about their origin, dates quality, cultivation area and nutritional values. Apart from that, if plantation from which dates derive are certified, then this information will definitively be also placed on the box.
Finally, there will be the full name of dates and some extra information about the producer. All that might be interesting for the person that will get the small gift, as very often that set of information is not the one you have. And of course, it is always nicer to get a beautiful box full of dates than a plastic or paper bag with a bunch of dates!
Dried or fresh?
Then comes the question about dates freshness. Would you like to have them super fresh, or would you prefer to have these dried? Of course, both are great. The main difference is in the purpose of buying them. If you would like to transport them and keep for a long time, then choose these already dried. Thanks to that the probability of loosing their quality is decreased. Of course, they will never be as great as these super fresh and eaten directly from the tree, but they will be still good and in a good shape.
Remember that these dried dates have a harder texture and do not get smashed so easily. They are also less exposed to fungus and parasites.
However, these fresh dates are the best. That is something that you can hardly ever have in the other country than one of these that are famous for their dates’ plantations. These dates are extremely soft, super delicate, have a great taste and a wonderful texture. Some slightly chewy and some a little but stringy. Sweeter and blander. All that depends on their type and origin.
Plain or stuffed?
Another aspect that should be taken under consideration is whether you would like to buy plain dates with pits or would you prefer candy style dates with nuts or dried fruits inside. The basic choice is always to go with these plain, just packed in a bag or box. And choosing these completely plain dates is also the best option to have the most natural product with no additional processing. Remember that even though dates might be natural, you never know what the origin of the filling is.
But, on the other hand, if you would like to get something exceptional, something more elegant and more candy-like, then you should choose dates stuffed with different nuts or dried fruits. If you are looking for something less sweet, I would recommend buying dates with nuts. Especially dates stuffed with slightly bitter walnuts.
However, if you do not mind very sweet products, choose dates with dried figs, candied fruits like kiwi slices or with sliced apricots. These delights are colorful, very elegant and dates that are stuffed are only these specially selected and these from the varieties that are the biggest. They look like little gems, so if you would like to make a nice and a tasty gift, take them! Another thing is that these stuffed dates are always well and nicely packed and all in all create a really good idea for a small gift or a souvenir for your friends.
Learn more about dates reading our post on Tunisian dates and date products – all you need to know before buying and eating them and The most popular dates in Oman.
Author: Beti – A passionate traveler and lover of Asian cuisine, especially Thai and Japanese dishes, Bernadeta brings her culinary and cultural experiences to life in her writing. Beyond her travels, she’s an avid technology enthusiast with a deep interest in data processing, merging her love for exploration with analytical insights.
Photographer: Adalbert – An aficionado of computers and photography, Adalbert captures the essence of diverse cuisines with a discerning eye. A connoisseur of rich flavors and particularly fond of meat-based dishes, he combines his technical skills with his passion for the culinary arts in every shot.
