The succulent yield of the date palm, cultivated in western Asia, North Africa, and southern California, comes in a plethora of varieties. The finest of them all – the Tunis dates – are sizeable, succulent, and exceptionally saccharine, sporting a smooth, golden-brown skin. Dessert dates, often arranged in lengthy cases while still loosely affixed to their stems, are typically desiccated before achieving full ripeness. Alternatively, other more economical types, suitable for cooking purposes, are depitted once fully matured, condensed into blocks, and distributed in bulk. Fortunately, fresh dates are gradually becoming more accessible.