Fig grower Chris Sayer, co-owner of Petty Ranch, introduces each of the nine fig varieties grown on his Saticoy ranch, which highlights just how luscious and individual figs really are.
A fig’s ripeness is determined by its color and size and also by its density, which reveals when it’s become heavy with juice.
SAVORY FIGS
Serve these with cheese, wine or cured meats.
Black Mission: Classic California fig introduced by the Spanish and one of the most commonly seen, fresh or dried. It’s smaller with a dark pink flesh and sweet flavor picking up port wine notes
Brown Turkey: Richly flavored, larger fig with a brown cast to the skin and less sweet than other varieties
Celestial: Lighter purple, tiny figs with a jammy center
Osborne Prolific: Mild flavor, pale – almost lavender – skin, and flesh that varies from yellow to pink
Harry: From the generations-old tree on Petty Ranch, possibly an old strain of Mission, with a slightly more complex, light cinnamon flavour
SWEET FIGS
Serve these medium-size figs in desserts.
White Genoa: Pale yellow skin, bright raspberry flesh, very sweet.
Peter’s Honey: Green exterior, very sweet, with a syrupy, honey center.
Desert King: Green exterior and a red interior, described as being the “fruitiest” and is Sayer’s favorite, eaten right from the tree.
Panache (or Tiger): Green and white striped exterior, red berry flesh. It’s very similar to a White Genoa, having fruity, raspberry flavors.
COOKING WITH FIGS
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