RecipeMuncher

Have you ever wondered what a fresh date is like? I have, not that infrequently, actually. So when I saw dates still affixed to their stem at the Chelsea Market the other week, I grabbed them right up. Fresh dates ripen in stages, with a slightly different flavor and texture in each stage. Right from the palm, they’re supposed to be pale, plump, even slightly astringent, ripening, sweetening and darkening until they reach the state in which you’re most likely to find them: dark (...)