Food

Food Information

Fruit

Tropical

FIGS

Figs date back to antiquity and are believed to have originated in AsiaMinor. They are a very important cash crop in Greece, Turkey, and Italy.Nearly all the figs grown commercially in the United States are producedin 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 andhave to be picked, packed, and shipped with utmost care. The Californiafigs are in season from June through November. Those sold in areas any distancefrom California are usually sent to market via airplane. This combinationof fragility and high cost of freight results in high price tags. The fruitis not only delicate to handle but also has a very delicate flavor. Whilethey are not everyone's cup of tea, those who are fresh fig aficionadoswill 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 werefirst planted by the monks in California) and the Brown Turkeys (namedafter the country and not the bird).

Most of the world's figs are not sold as a fresh fruit but are dried inthe sun and shipped to the four corners of the earth as a dried fruit.

Deamer 5/97