Update on the dates.

Today I tasted the new seasons dates, and they were scrummy. One of the teachers bought new dates to school for the staff at the Boys school and left them on a tray upstairs. By the time I tasted my first date, went and got my camera, and came back, the tray was somewhat depleted. The dates as we know them in NZ look dark and are somewhat dried but retain some sweetness. The new seasons dates are puffed out with their juice and are sweeter than the dates in NZ. The yellower they are, indicates their freshness/ ripeness. Most of the dates hanging on the trees are now a pale yellow colour, indicating they are ripe and ready to fall. When I say sweet they are not too sweet, maybe a sweetness like a nice nectarine. Most Emiraties have a variety of date palms in their gardens, and many have dates groves on their farms. All the streets in Al Ain are lined with date palms that possibly the Municipality (District Council) harvest. Date scones with fresh dates, now there's a challenge!