What are some common varieties of the date?

• Zaghloul
  

Zaghloul is a dark red-skinned date that is very popular in Egypt. It is long, crunchy, and extremely sweet.

• Zahidi
  

Sweet sugary flavored semi-dry date. Medium-sized fruit with smooth, glossy skin and golden-yellow, meaty flesh full of syrup. Use for eating out of hand or cooking. Keeps well and is very good for baking. Early ripening.

• Medjool
  

Rich, deliciously sweet soft date with little fibrous texture. Large to very large fruit with amber to reddish-brown skin as it ripens and cures. Excellent for eating fresh, very moist. Early ripening.

• Khadrawy
  

Rich, not overly sweet, and flavored soft date. Medium to large oblong fruit with orange-brown to light-brown skin and firm flesh. Considered among the best in flavor and texture for eating fresh. Does not keep well so must eat fresh and ripens in the mid-season.

• Halawy
  

Sweet honey-flavored soft date. Halawy means “sweet.” Small to medium fruit with bright golden brown skin and tender flesh. Good for eating out of hand.

• Deglet Noor
  

Sweet delicate flavored semi-dry date; known for its “true” date flavor. Medium to large fruit with skin that turns from amber to deep brown as it ripens. Good for cooking. The name means “date of the light”. Late ripening.

• Barhi
  

Syrupy rich soft date, the softest and most fragile. Small to medium fruit with firm flesh and skin that turns from amber to golden brown when cured. Late ripening.