This cookbook is a date lover’s dream! Hot Date! isn’t just about recipes—it’s a vibrant celebration of the humble, versatile, and downright magical fruit that’s been stealing the show for centuries. Whether you’re a longtime date fan or a total newbie, this book will have you stocking up on Medjools like they’re going out of style.

Rawaan Alkhatib weaves her passion for dates into every page, blending history, art, and global flavors into a truly unique package. The recipes? Oh, they’re next-level. From stuffed dates perfect for party apps to date chili crisp (hello, new addiction) and even decadent desserts, every dish feels like a fresh adventure. Plus, the vibrant illustrations and fascinating tidbits about date culture, farming, and history make it as fun to flip through as it is to cook from.

What really stands out is how Hot Date! doesn’t treat dates like a boring health food. Instead, Alkhatib elevates them, showcasing their deep, caramel-y magic in both traditional and modern ways. And can we talk about how gorgeous this book is? It’s part cookbook, part coffee-table eye candy, and 100% perfect for gifting.

If you’re ready to level up your pantry game, get this book. Dates have never been so cool—or so delicious!

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Who knew you could do so much with dates? There are a few recipes I home to try.

I had such high hopes for Hot Date!: Sweet & Savory Recipes Celebrating the Date, from Party Food to Everyday Feasts by Rawaan Alkhatib. I love dates and thought this book would be full of healthy Mediterranean recipes and maybe even several vegan ones, too. Unfortunately, most of the recipes contained meat and/or dairy so they won't work for me. One thing I did like though was all the information this book contains about dates. I had no idea there were so many varieties! The illustrations of the different types were very engaging.

I definitely requested this book based on the title not even reading the synopsis. I was pleasantly surprised on the recipes that were included. I don't really have access to all the ingredients so I'm going to look for some and try one of the recipes but I thought the information provided was decent. I enjoyed the history behind the different types of dates.

Thank you to Chronicle Books and #Netgalley for the early copy.

I'm learning so much from my hot date! Jokes aside, I truly have gained a greater knowledge of the sometimes forgotten superfood that is the date. From the anatomy to the different varieties, flavour notes, and forms you can transform them into. The recipes are unique and fun having pairings I would never even think to have combined with a date. My most favourite aspect of this cookbook is the illustrations, they pop out from the pages and make reading this book even more enjoyable.

Thank you to Netgalley for this free ARC!

I enjoyed this niche cookbook featuring dates. There was a much wider variety of recipes than I expected. I don't think this is a cookbook I would use for everyday cooking, but it would be fantastic to pull out around the holidays.

The hand drawn artwork is gorgeous, but I would have liked to see more photos of the food too.

I loved all the info it included about the different kinds of dates, and how they are grown. I learned quite a bit! I think this cookbook would be a great gift for someone that does a lot of parties and holiday gatherings.

I received an advance ebook from NetGalley.

Dates have been a source of sustenance and delight for centuries, and this cookbook celebrates them with a multitude of recipes and gorgeous full-color journaling spreads. The recipes are incredibly diverse, most Middle Eastern in influence. Dates are utilized in various forms, from plain pitted to date sugar to date butter and more. A guide to different major varieties begins the book, including an explanation of varying stages of ripeness. All kinds of dishes are described, including appetizers, sides, main dishes, drinks, and desserts. I loved the tone of the book. It’s not formal at all, but friendly and conversational.

Then there is the graphic design. Now, I read this as an ebook, but I can imagine it would be even prettier in printed form. Illustrations dance from page to page, vivid, packed with handwritten verses and old recipes. This would make for a beautiful coffee table book.

Fun and fresh ideas in a great layout. Loved the illustrations and found them easy to read. Informative section on varietals of dates and the ripening process including stages of ripeness. Good to learn about so many varieties of dates and their flavor profiles, I had no idea. My one gripe would be there weren’t enough photographs of the dishes. I prefer that cookbooks have a photo of most if not all of the recipes included. It really helps readers to figure out what to make. Also it would have been nice if there were more non meat options but there are at least a few of those. Nice that not every baking recipe included used eggs.

This was more on the artsy and informative side of cookbooks. It was a lot more learning than recipes and that's fine, just not something that I usually go for. The lack of pictures close by the recipes really throws me for a loop, but that may also be how it is set up to read digitally. I am a visual learner and if there isn't a side by side of the recipe with it's photo it's hard for me to want to make it. All in all, it's a good cookbook, but I wouldn't pick it up if I saw it at a store.

For some reason as I child I did not like dates - perhaps the texture didn't appeal, or perhaps I had only tried some really dry and crumbly ones. In the past decade or so I discovered the many varieties and flavors of dates (barhi is currently my favorite) via my farmers market . I've also recently learned about their health benefits and started using date syrup in beverages and I want to try using date sugar in baking, so I'm super excited to find this book! The photos and illustrations are beautiful. I love that this book has such a range of recipes not only for different meals of the day but also different cultural influences and flavor profiles. Some recipes that caught my eye include: date and tahini granola, pumpkin pancakes with warm ras el hanout syrup, Moroccan avocado smoothies, barbecue mushroom steaks with cornbread crumbles, lamb & pumpkin pasta, yellow Barhi and green apple kale salad, whole roasted pineapple draped in spiced caramel, and spiced date chili crisp. The book also offers suggested menus and recommended retailers for sourcing dates and other ingredients used in the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I love dates. This book sounded right up my alley. I know I’ll be making a few of these recipes for sure!
So many interesting ideas in this cookbook!

I received an ARC of this cookbook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful cookbook, full of interesting and varied recipes!