Produce Briefs...
White Corn
White corn is a sweet corn variety. Its ears are wrapped in tightly layered pale lime green to white husks. One ear of corn can contain up to 400 kernels growing in rows lengthwise.
Iceberg Lettuce
It is the only lettuce type that does not occur in red form as well as green. Iceberg is the given name to dozens of cultivars of lettuce, all of which are adapted to specific planting regions and time periods.
Grower
Green figs are available summer into fall.
Figs grow on the Ficus tree (Ficus carica), which is a member of the Mulberry family. There are almost two hundred cultivars of figs, thus they grow in a wide range of shapes, colors and textures. There are dozens of Green fig varieties, including the Celestial fig. Other green fig varieties include (Green) Garnsey, Kabota, St. John, Verte, Ventura, Panachee and Adriatic. The Adriatic fig is the most commonly known green fig and it is the fig that is most often used to make fig bars.
Green figs are generally larger and plumper than black figs. When ripe, the figs will be pale lime green with pink to brown variegations that start from the shoulders. The weight of the fig is in direct correlation with its ripeness and sugar content. A heavy fig is a good sign that it is ready-to-eat now. Its flesh contains a rusted strawberry colored jellied pulp laden with the seeds of the fruit. The pulp exudes a candied syrup and confectionary flavors that darker figs cannot achieve. Younger fruits are leaner in flavor, lower in sugar content and the flesh is generally more cottony in texture with a less jellied seed cavity. The leaves of the fig tree are also an edible part of the plant.
Figs are a great source of calcium and dietary fiber. They are rich in antioxidants and when dried they develop higher percentages of minerals such as copper, magnesium and potassium.
Green figs are sweeter than both Brown Turkey and Black Mission figs, making them a better choice for desserts and as a dried (candied) fig. Green figs can also be used as a substitute for Brown Turkey and Black Mission figs in salads paired with mild goat cheeses, sheep's cheeses such as manchego and fresh cow's milk cheeses. Figs make incredible jams and sauces, both sweet and savory. They are a great accoutrement to pork belly and roasted lamb. Figs are also, of course, great for eating fresh out of hand. Once harvested figs have a brief shelf life and should be eaten within a few days of ripening.
Figs are one of the very first plants to be cultivated by humans. They have been documented throughout history as a food source for over 11,000 years. They were first cultivated in ancient Egypt, though they are believed to be indigenous to Western Asia. Figs still have a huge presence in Northern Africa and throughout the eastern Mediterranean, specifically Greece and Turkey. They have been naturalized in the Western Mediterranean and throughout temperate regions of the United States, primarily Southern California. Green fig varieties are native to the eastern Mediterranean, Italy (Adriatic fig) and even California, where new fig varieties were developed via propagation.
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Seasons/Availability
Green figs are available summer into fall.
Current Facts
Figs grow on the Ficus tree (Ficus carica), which is a member of the Mulberry family. There are almost two hundred cultivars of figs, thus they grow in a wide range of shapes, colors and textures. There are dozens of Green fig varieties, including the Celestial fig. Other green fig varieties include (Green) Garnsey, Kabota, St. John, Verte, Ventura, Panachee and Adriatic. The Adriatic fig is the most commonly known green fig and it is the fig that is most often used to make fig bars.
Description/Taste
Green figs are generally larger and plumper than black figs. When ripe, the figs will be pale lime green with pink to brown variegations that start from the shoulders. The weight of the fig is in direct correlation with its ripeness and sugar content. A heavy fig is a good sign that it is ready-to-eat now. Its flesh contains a rusted strawberry colored jellied pulp laden with the seeds of the fruit. The pulp exudes a candied syrup and confectionary flavors that darker figs cannot achieve. Younger fruits are leaner in flavor, lower in sugar content and the flesh is generally more cottony in texture with a less jellied seed cavity. The leaves of the fig tree are also an edible part of the plant.
Nutritional Value
Figs are a great source of calcium and dietary fiber. They are rich in antioxidants and when dried they develop higher percentages of minerals such as copper, magnesium and potassium.
Applications
Green figs are sweeter than both Brown Turkey and Black Mission figs, making them a better choice for desserts and as a dried (candied) fig. Green figs can also be used as a substitute for Brown Turkey and Black Mission figs in salads paired with mild goat cheeses, sheep's cheeses such as manchego and fresh cow's milk cheeses. Figs make incredible jams and sauces, both sweet and savory. They are a great accoutrement to pork belly and roasted lamb. Figs are also, of course, great for eating fresh out of hand. Once harvested figs have a brief shelf life and should be eaten within a few days of ripening.
Geography/History
Figs are one of the very first plants to be cultivated by humans. They have been documented throughout history as a food source for over 11,000 years. They were first cultivated in ancient Egypt, though they are believed to be indigenous to Western Asia. Figs still have a huge presence in Northern Africa and throughout the eastern Mediterranean, specifically Greece and Turkey. They have been naturalized in the Western Mediterranean and throughout temperate regions of the United States, primarily Southern California. Green fig varieties are native to the eastern Mediterranean, Italy (Adriatic fig) and even California, where new fig varieties were developed via propagation.
