Your Variety Guide to Barhi Dates and How to Merchandise Them

Dried dates are enjoyed year-round but when summer begins to transition to fall, fresh dates can be enjoyed from the vine. These dates are known as Barhi dates.

So – what makes these dates different from the dates we typically see in grocery stores? The answer: their ripeness.

To understand the world of dates, it’s important to know the five stages dates go through during their lifetime. In the first two stages, hababauk and kimiri, dates are inedible and go through a pollination process so they can grow from a small seed to a normal-sized date.

The third stage is where Barhi dates are produced. This stage is called the khalal stage where the date is semi-ripe. This is the first stage that dates are edible. Khalal dates are golden-yellow in color and crisp like an apple in texture. In this stage, dates have a honey-sweet but lightly astringent flavor.

Barhi dates can also be enjoyed in the fourth stage of ripeness. This is the rutab stage where dates begin to lose their golden color and develop browner shades. Dates will also become increasingly more tender and develop a softer texture. Their flavor during this stage is incredibly sweet with notes of caramel, toffee, and honey.

The last stage is the tamar stage. This is the stage where brown dates are harvested. During this stage, the water content of dates is the lowest. They are technically considered ‘dry’ during this stage, although they are actually still quite moist. Tamar staged dates are often dried post-harvest to extend their shelf-life.

Now that we’ve established the difference between dates, it’s time to dive deeper into the freshest date of the season – barhi dates.

What are Barhi dates?

Barhi dates are harvested during khalal stage. They will continue to ripen post-harvest and eventually move into the rutab stage. Barhi dates are fully edible, with the exception of their inner pit. In the khalal stage, the golden skin of the fruit is smooth, yet firm with a fibrous consistency. In the rutab stage, the skin becomes darker and softer, with a creamy and chewy consistency.

Barhi is also a highly seasonal variety of date. In the US commercial market, this variety is available out of California from August to September and for a short window out of Israel in October.

What do Barhi dates taste like?

The flavor of barhi dates changes depending on the stage of ripeness. When in the khalal stage, dates are prized for their rich, butterscotch-like flavor. They are crisp like an apple and astringent with a sweetness similar to maple syrup.

Barhi dates in the rutab stage will become increasingly sweet. They will develop a caramel-like flavor with notes of toffee.

With their complex flavor, barhi dates pair with a number of other elements in the kitchen. They are often paired with thyme, apricots, and nuts.

How a Consumer Uses Barhi Dates

Barhi dates have many uses across each stage. In the khalal stage they are commonly eaten out of hand or tossed into dishes like salads. Their crunchy and sweet profile makes them an excellent choice for snacking and providing depth to a dish.

When Barhi dates become soft in the rutab stage, they are used similarly to a medjool date. They can be blended into drinks, stuffed, added to baked goods, or eaten as is. They also make fantastic additions to dishes that would not be able to manage the crisper consistency of the date in the khalal stage.

How to Store Barhi dates

Barhi dates should be merchandised cold to slow the ripening process and extend the shelf-life. Barhi dates that are displayed at room temperature will ripen at a more rapid pace.

It’s important to adjust displays based on the stage of ripeness. Barhi dates in the khalal stage are sensitive to ethylene and should be displayed away from ethylene-producing items. Exposure to ethylene will increase the speed of ripening.

Professional Uses

It’s important to take advantage of merchandising opportunities of Barhi Dates while they are available during their short season. Consider:

• Creating displays centered around dried and fresh dates. This will allow the consumer to explore the three edible stages of ripeness.
• Educating consumers on when Barhi dates are able to be eaten. This is to ensure they know that barhi dates may be consumed in the khalal stage when firm and crisp, and during the rutab stage when dates ripen and become soft.
• Selling dates by the pound or overwrapped in tray or bags.