Fig Flavor Categories

[Charlie Dodgson]

Here’s my attempt to categorize fig flavors that I’ve experienced. I'm looking forward to reading yours.

Desirable Uncaprified Fresh Fig Flavors

• Fig. a unique flavor, without berry overtones, etc.
• Sweet. not a honey fig nor a strong honey taste. often yellow inside and out.
• Honey. oozes nectar and tastes mostly like honey.
• Maple Syrup. occasionally White Marseilles aka Blanche.
• Caramel. the better ones of these – oh my. the lesser quality ones taste more like fig with a little peanut butter.
• Strawberry. there are both neopolitan colored and figs that turn dark which have this flavor in a range of intensities.
• Raspberry (thanks Tom V.)
• Dark-fruited Mulberry. here I’m thinking of ripe M. macoura and a few others, maybe M. nigra without the tartness.
• Cherry. an extraordinarily sweet strawberry in a smaller package.
• Olallieberry.

Desirable Caprified Fresh Fig Flavors

To the above, one of these and sometimes two or three of these will occur:

• A nut-like flavor, but not from the seeds. similar to pine nuts or white walnut oil.
• A jump in flavor intensity – sometimes becoming unpleasantly tart.
• A jump in sweetness.

 

[ZomVee]

I think San Diego fig genetics have a population of raspberry profiles. I ate a fig around the SDSU area and it was pure raspberry jam and only three miles away Jon V found Raspberry Latte.

When Raspberry Latte is perfectly ripened, it's hard to beat.

 

[bushdoctor82]

What fig variety would best represent the fig flavor?

In my very limited collection, I have tasted sweet/sugar (Molise Red), viscous sweet, but not honey (Byadi), strawberry (AJH) and however one would characterize Preto, RDB and the Etna types.

 

[ZomVee]

What fig variety would best represent the fig flavor?

In my very limited collection, I have tasted sweet/sugar (Molise Red), viscous sweet, but not honey (Byadi), strawberry (AJH) and however one would characterize Preto, RDB and the Etna types.

I grew a Panitseika from Kremp and it was the most figgy flavor I had ever experienced. Grew up on Black Missions and those are quite figgy, some get bursts of sweetness that can get close to a mulberry like berry flavor.

I kinda tortured the Panitseika though, to be honest, check out my thread on the other forum Hanging figs of San Diego. I grew the tree topsy turvy style and in low sunlight, so maybe it produces other flavors in better conditions, but dang, super figgy flavor

 

[Inflorescence]

Here’s my attempt to categorize fig flavors that I’ve experienced. I'm looking forward to reading yours.

My article comes out Sunday.

 

[TorontoJoe]

Very good thread. I'd really appreciate some examples of the various profiles. Especially other "fig" varieties. I've always identified this profile with Black Mission's. I'm mentally going through my collection now trying to think of what else fits

I wonder how much climate plays a role in this as well given how sugars can develop quite differently....

 

[GoodFriendMike]

Very good thread. I'd really appreciate some examples of the various profiles. Especially other "fig" varieties. I've always identified this profile with Black Mission's. I'm mentally going through my collection now trying to think of what else fits

I wonder how much climate plays a role in this as well given how sugars can develop quite differently....

I would say climate plays a big role.

 

[Inflorescence]

What is your best caramel fig? I’m still on the lookout for one.

 

[GoodFriendMike]

What is your best caramel fig? I’m still on the lookout for one.

I have had some very good dried smryna types that had a caramel flavor.
But fresh not so much.
Many figs out there. Some are good fresh, Some dried and some both.
All depends on what you like.
My favs are still smyrna type's.

 

[Charlie Dodgson]

Fresh Fig (Ficus carica) Flavor Examples

• Fig. LV 7. definitely not Mission.
• Sweet, but not a honey fig. Yellow Greek.
• Honey. Janice Seedless Kadota.
• Maple Syrup. occasionally White Marseilles aka Blanche.
• Caramel. Rust, Morena (S)
• Strawberry. Adriatic JH ... Cravins Craving.
• Raspberry. Raspberry Latte.
• Dark-fruited Mulberry. Violette de Bordeaux.
• Cherry. Tia Penya.
• Olallieberry. Unknown Pastilliere (Sp).

 

[Inflorescence]

Fresh Fig (Ficus carica) Flavor Examples

• Fig. LV 7. definitely not Mission.
• Sweet, but not a honey fig. Yellow Greek.
• Honey. Janice Seedless Kadota.
• Caramel. Rust, Morena (S)
• Strawberry. Adriatic JH ... Cravins Craving.
• Raspberry. Raspberry Latte.
• Dark-fruited Mulberry. Violette de Bordeaux.
• Cherry. Tia Penya.
• Olallieberry. Unknown Pastilliere (Sp).

I’m going to have to get Rust (aka Archipel, aka Osborne Prolific) one of these days. Maybe I’ll see if I can get it as a tree somewhere.

 

[Charlie Dodgson]

I’m going to have to get Rust (aka Archipel, aka Osborne Prolific)

Contrary to Ira Condit, these are different figs:

• Archipel from western Asia.
• Osborne Prolific propagated in England.
• "Rust" from southern CA sold and distributed as Osborne Prolific.

 

[Inflorescence]

Contrary to Ira Condit, these are different figs:

• Archipel from western Asia.
• Osborne Prolific propagated in England.
• "Rust" from southern CA sold and distributed as Osborne Prolific.

That is very interesting. Do you feel there are any significant differences between them or are they relatively similar?

 

[Charlie Dodgson]

Do you feel there are any significant differences

The cultivar circulated in Dalmatia is known as Madonna. It has two crops. King George imported it to England and renamed it Archipel. That caught on in western Europe, but a clone or sport of it gained popularity under the name Osborne's Prolific in England. Then a hundred years ago a Pasadena nursery named "Rust" sold some fig trees said to be from England. Ira Condit declared these to be Osborne Prolific. However, they do not have a breba crop. The original fig from Dalmatia is said to be the most flavorful.

 

[SpiritFarmVa]

Our White Marseille has a maple syrup after taste if you want to call that another flavor type, unless that would fall under caramel.

 

[ZomVee]

Ischia Black for sure has a caramelized sugar flavor. It isn't pure caramel.

The cultivar circulated in Dalmatia is known as Madonna. It has two crops. King George imported it to England and renamed it Archipel. That caught on in western Europe, but a clone or sport of it gained popularity under the name Osborne's Prolific in England. Then a hundred years ago a Pasadena nursery named "Rust" sold some fig trees said to be from England. Ira Condit declared these to be Osborne Prolific. However, they do not have a breba crop. The original fig from Dalmatia is said to be the most flavorful.

Does Archipel get a syrupy center?

 

[Charlie Dodgson]

maple syrup after taste

Figs aside, caramel and maple are different flavors. I've never experienced the latter in figs, but you might be on to something .

 

[SpiritFarmVa]

Figs aside, caramel and maple are different flavors. I've never experienced the latter in figs, but you might be on to something .

The flavor in the white marseille we have is very much maple syrup especially as it ges super ripe. Three of us at home that have tried them said the same.

 

[TorontoJoe]

I’m in maple country and have never had that in a fig. That would be very nice

 

[SpiritFarmVa]

I’m in maple country and have never had that in a fig. That would be very nice

I’d love a maple fanatic to tase them and see if they find that flavor profile as well. White marseille does tend to split and water down so I can have good and bad years.