Among the Medjool's many nicknames, "king of dates" is most fitting. Once reserved for Moroccan royalty and their guests, they were a precious confection and remain so today. Like many delicacies, Medjools are pricey because their cultivation is a complex and labor-intensive process.

 Although date palms are naturally pollinated by wind, growers must hand-pollinate each tree to ensure adequate yield. A worker climbs the same **- to **-foot-high tree many times during the Medjool season. First, he trims the tree's dangerously sharp *- to *-inch-long thorns. Then he removes most of the dates to increase the air circulation and sunlight they need to reach optimum size.

 When the remaining dates reach their full size, he will protect them from birds, insects and occasional rain by covering them with burlap bags or nylon netting. Since dates do not ripen simultaneously, he must climb the tree several more times to harvest them.

Soft dates such as the Medjool are so delicate that most are picked individually by hand rather than in large clusters.

 Medjool graded according to it's Size and Quality: choice, soft, fancy, large and jumbo. In this case, bigger is better. Splurge and go for the jumbo.