I haven't ever seen figs in a grocery store here.

They are always so expensive that I never buy them. I can't remember a specific price though. A friend used to have a fig tree in her front yard that she hated. She didn't like figs and thought the tree was ugly. I used to get figs from her tree sometimes but she ended up having it cut it down. I now have two fig trees growing in my own back yard and I'm hoping for a crop within the next few years.

They're expensive because they only keep for one or two days. I had two very large fig trees in Venice, and I would get 60 to 80 figs a day during peak season in the summer. I never tried to sell them, but I did give a lot away and made certain people extremely happy.

I've seen figs in the market here but never paid attention to the price. I've also seen them at farmers' markets, but they did not have the best varieties. The black Mission fig is good, but what I grew was called a Texas Red (at least that's what I was told) and was the sweetest variety I've had yet. I used to make lot of preserves, but unfortunately they got ripe when it was warm, and I didn't enjoy standing over a hot pot. I added Meyer lemons to make preserves since I had lemons at the same time, but I've also added oranges. I do not like the brown turkey figs.

I don't think I'll plant another fig tree, as I have a Mamey and white zapote growing in the only places I could put one. It will be a few years before I get fruit from those, however. Fig trees do take up a lot of space, but I do not think they are ugly at all.

Lars

Sure it's not a fig ment of your imagination? :-)
That would come to about $50.00 a lb.

We have the green kind and the deep purple kind here. Once in a while they are on sale, otherwise they are about $0.40 each.

dcarch

Why is it that the more common something is, the more I dislike it? Every granny here has a fig tree or two or three and that includes my mil. Yet I despise figs! I wish I liked them, I have room for dozens of fig trees.

I had a plan to make fig jam, as a restaurant here makes the best panini with brie, fig jam, thinly sliced pear and spinach leaves. Suddenly the 10.00 for a jar of fig jam doesn't seem so outrageous.
J

I've never seen a fresh fig here either, although I did find them fresh once at the mediterranean Market in Grand Rapids. They pretty much only come dried in Michigan. Just as well, I doubt I'd ever pay that price for one!

Annie

I was transplanted to Chicago last August, but while in Texas figs ran from 5.99 to 6.99 a pound and usually of poor quality since, as mentioned above, they perish quickly.

The reason figs cost so much fresh is that they are the only fruit the begins to sour as soon as you pick them, whereas other fruits continue to ripen. The refrigerated shelf life of fresh figs is about 3 days so there is a lot of waste on the grocer's profit margin.

I get a "breva" crop in the late Spring but they don't quite ripen and fall off here. I'll bet if you tasted those $50/# figs they would be flavorless because they are breva's. In mid-August to mid-October I get 60-90 ripe ones per day on my 5-year old tree. It takes 42 to make one batch of fig jam (6 half-pints). I love figs so much that I planted 11 more babies so I will eventually have a fig forest. All but one are Brown Turkey, the single one is Celeste of which I only got 3 figs on the 2-year old tree -- it takes several years for a newly planted fig tree to bear. They do grow great in pots and brought inside for winter in cold zones. There are many varieties, colors, and flavors of figs and most only grow in certain soils and climates, so you have to check with your County Extension service to find which varieties are suited to your area and probably would need a free soil analysis.

Please try and taste different varieties before you decide you don't like figs. There is a big flavor difference even with the same variety but grown in different soils.

Nancy

Fresh figs are my favorite fruit & what I miss the most from home (CA). Funny, just last week a CF member assured me I can have fig trees here so, hopefully, I'll have my own fig tree soon. I'll try Logee's first & if they don't have any I'll mail order.

The only way I can get fresh fig locally is to special order them & they are outrageously priced. DH ordered me a box of 24-30 (can't remember exactly how many) a few years ago & I ate every single one myself - selfish, no sharing! :( DH had never had a fresh fig until the first time I took him to CA, my aunt had a couple of trees & we had them for breakfast every day...just stood under the tree & ate until we were full. Good memories.

/tricia

fig leaves have many culinary uses.

dcarch

dcarch - tell me what those are! I've only used the leaves when making dulce con leche from scratch.

Nancy

I have a fig tree I planted in my back yard. I have no idea what variety it is. It's from my Mom's tree. My brother took cuttings of it when she died, and was able to grow a new tree from the cutting. When he moved to Australia, he brought the tree to me. I have a hard time beating the birds to the figs, but I do manage a few times. I have a good friend that has a huge tree in her back yard. She gives me fig preserves she makes from her figs, every Christmas. I'll have to think to make that brie recipe next time I get fig preserves from her. That sounds very good.

Sally

Yes, please tell us about culinary uses for fig leaves. I don't have edible figs quite yet, although I guess I need to walk back there and take a look! but I do have plenty of leaves! LOL

In my previous house, there were a few Italian neighbors on the block. They all had a fig tree on their front yard. Fig trees are not hardy in our NY zone. Every winter they would wrap their fig trees in plastic and put a plastic garbage can on top.

My Italian neighbors had served me a few fig leaf dishes. It was a while back so I don't remember what the recipes were. I used the leaves they gave me in grape leaf recipes a few times, they were not bad.

I haven't done fig leaf recipes in a while because I can't find fig leaves.

Also, as I remember, fig leaves beside can be used for food and apparel [ :-) ], they are also therapeutic for diabetic conditions. Do check with your physician before using them if you are an insulin user..

dcarch

So I googled fig leaf recipes, and did you know this? There's a fig forum here! Who knew?

Didn't find a lot of leaf recipes. Here's what I did find out:

Some folks say you can use the leaves just like grape leaves. Some ideas for fig leaf tea. You can wrap fish in them for cooking but don't eat the leaves. Or use them to decorate your cheese platter, etc.

Here is a link that might be useful: fig leaf usage and recipe