Black Dates

Black Dates

　　Black Dates, also known as Dark Dates, Smoked Dates, or Horse-Tooth Dates, are made from ripe fresh red dates through a meticulous process that includes boiling, smoking in kilns, and air-drying. The smoking process alone is repeated three times over six days, following the traditional method of “three rounds of kiln smoking and six rounds of water treatment.” Black Dates are of high-quality timber suitable for general construction use. Their fruit, after being debittered, can be eaten raw, used for making wine or vinegar, and contains vitamin C, which can be extracted for medical use. The seeds are used in medicine to relieve thirst and reduce internal heat.