Editing Date palm (section)

=== Fruits ===
Dry or soft dates are eaten out-of-hand, or may be pitted and stuffed with fillings such as [[almond]]s, [[walnut]]s, [[pecan]]s, candied [[Orange (fruit)|orange]] and [[lemon]] [[Peel (fruit)|peel]], [[tahini]], [[marzipan]] or [[cream cheese]]. Pitted dates are also referred to as ''stoned dates''. Partially dried pitted dates may be glazed with [[glucose syrup]] for use as a snack food. Dates can also be chopped and used in a range of sweet and savory dishes, from [[tajine]]s (tagines) in [[Morocco]] to [[pudding]]s, ''[[ka'ak]]'' (types of Arab cookies) and other dessert items. Date nut bread, a type of cake, is very popular in the United States, especially around holidays. Dates are also processed into cubes, paste called ''<nowiki/>'ajwa'', spread, [[Date honey|date syrup or "honey"]] called "dibs" or ''[[Rub (syrup)|rub]]'' in Libya, powder ([[date sugar]]), [[vinegar]] or [[alcoholic beverage|alcohol]]. Vinegar made from dates was a traditional product of the [[Middle East]].<ref>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1021/ie50319a016 | title = Vinegar from Dates | year = 1936 | last1 = Das | first1 = Bhagwan | last2 = Sarin | first2 = J. L. | journal = Industrial & Engineering Chemistry | volume = 28 | issue = 7 | pages = 814}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Y84UAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA78 | title = Studies in Ancient Technology | publisher = E.J. Brill | location = Netherlands | last1 = Forbes | first1 = Robert James | volume = 1 | year = 1971 | access-date = 20 June 2015 | archive-date = 17 March 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230317154434/https://books.google.com/books?id=Y84UAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA78 | url-status = live }}</ref> Recent innovations include [[chocolate]]-covered dates and products such as sparkling date juice, used in some Islamic countries as a non-alcoholic version of [[Champagne (wine)|champagne]], for special occasions and religious times such as [[Ramadan]]. When Muslims break fast in the [[iftar|evening meal of Ramadan]], it is traditional to eat a date first.

Reflecting the maritime trading heritage of [[British cuisine|Britain]], imported chopped dates are added to, or form the main basis of a variety of traditional dessert recipes including [[sticky toffee pudding]], [[Christmas pudding]] and [[date and walnut loaf]]. They are particularly available to eat whole at [[Christmas]] time. Dates are one of the ingredients of [[HP Sauce]], a popular British condiment.

In Southeast Spain (where a large date plantation exists including [[UNESCO]]-protected [[Palmeral of Elche]]) dates (usually pitted with fried almond) are served wrapped in [[bacon]] and shallow-fried. In Palestine date syrup, termed ''silan'', is used while cooking chicken and also for sweets and desserts, and as a honey substitute. Dates are one of the ingredients of ''[[jallab]]'', a Middle Eastern fruit syrup. In Pakistan, a viscous, thick syrup made from the ripe fruits is used as a coating for leather bags and pipes to prevent leaking.

==== Forks ====
[[File:Date forks in lizard stand.jpg|right|thumb|Antique date forks in rack]]
In the past, sticky dates were served using specialized small forks having two metal tines, called ''[[:nb:Gaffel#Gaffeltyper|daddelgaffel]]'' in Scandinavia.<ref>{{cite web |last1=dragonflywink |title=Jensen fork |url=https://www.smpub.com/ubb/Forum26/HTML/002730.html |website=Silver Salon Forums |publisher=SM Publications |access-date=19 April 2020 |archive-date=29 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729044517/https://www.smpub.com/ubb/Forum26/HTML/002730.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Some designs were patented.<ref>{{cite book |title=Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office |date=1953 |publisher=US Patent Office |page=589 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D28bAQAAMAAJ&q=%22date+forks%22&pg=PA589 |access-date=6 October 2020 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408151121/https://books.google.com/books?id=D28bAQAAMAAJ&q=%22date+forks%22&pg=PA589 |url-status=live }}</ref> These have generally been replaced by an inexpensive pale-colored knobbled plastic fork that resembles a date branch, which is traditionally included with numerous brands of prepackaged trays of dates, though this practice has declined in response to increased use of resealable packaging and calls for fewer [[Disposable product|single-use plastics]].