FoodFood InformationFruitTropical
Figs date back to antiquity and are believed to have originated in Asia
Minor. They are a very important cash crop in Greece, Turkey, and Italy.
Nearly all the figs grown commercially in the United States are produced
in California, although Texas has a small crop that is usually sold to canners.
Figs are also grown in many home gardens as far north as New York.
Figs are perishable and have a limited shelf life. They are fragile and
have to be picked, packed, and shipped with utmost care. The California
figs are in season from June through November. Those sold in areas any distance
from California are usually sent to market via airplane. This combination
of fragility and high cost of freight results in high price tags. The fruit
is not only delicate to handle but also has a very delicate flavor. While
they are not everyone's cup of tea, those who are fresh fig aficionados
will pay almost any price to enjoy this unusual fruit.
There are several varieties of figs and they come primarily in two colors:
light (also called green or white) and dark (also called black or purple).
The best known light varieties are the Calmyrnas and the Kadotas.
The best known dark varieties are the Black Missions (these were
first planted by the monks in California) and the Brown Turkeys (named
after the country and not the bird).
Most of the world's figs are not sold as a fresh fruit but are dried in
the sun and shipped to the four corners of the earth as a dried fruit.
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