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Fig Tasting Video: MBVS & Letizia Comparison

  • ross
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I had heard great things about Gino's Black and Navid's Dark Greek. Gino's being the most reliable producer in humid/rainy conditions & Navid's Dark Greek supposedly tasting much better than any other Etna. Should I believe the Dark Greek hype? My Letizia & MBVS tasted basically the same. Maybe a very small minor difference, but I really don't want to pursue Navid's Dark Greek if there's only a minor difference. Can anyone comment AND what's your favorite Etna compared to others and why?!


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  • PHD

Navid,
  I'm sure Ross can answer on his own, but reading his post I think the question he was asking is if your fig and Dark Greek taste sufficiently different from other Mt Etna type figs. Many people have limited space and do not want multiple figs that taste the same. I don't think Ross meant any disrespect.

  Peter
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What is MSVS? I can't find no reference, not in the variety database either. I have heard of MBVS, is it related?
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Originally Posted by drew51
What is MSVS? I can't find no reference, not in the variety database either. I have heard of MBVS, is it related?


My mistake, Drew. I corrected the typos. It's Marseilles Black VS.
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Originally Posted by PHD
Navid,
  I'm sure Ross can answer on his own, but reading his post I think the question he was asking is if your fig and Dark Greek taste sufficiently different from other Mt Etna type figs. Many people have limited space and do not want multiple figs that taste the same. I don't think Ross meant any disrespect.

  Peter


Peter,

Thanks for explaining what I meant. Hopefully Navid can see that now.
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  • ross
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I believe that your unknown Dark Greek is a Mt. Etna type. If that's true.. I want to hear opinions from others if I should grow it myself. I'm very limited on space, and I don't have room for many more varieties. Asking the opinions of others is the only way I can learn. That's all I'm doing.
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I have Hardy Chicago as my workhorse and I haven't tasted fruit from a recently obtained small MBVS. From what I read about Navid's Unknown Dark Greek, I would like to see if it tastes as great in my part of the world. The same with Letizia.

My perception is that Ross heard great things about Navid's Unknown Dark Greek and that's why he mentioned it in this forum. At the same time, his experience with Mt. Etna types is that they are very similar, according to the video. So his question to the forum is: does the Navid's Unknown Dark Greek variety differ enough in taste to other Mt. Etna types, that he already has, to justify a place in his limited space?

The question is like asking if Black Madeira is worth the space if he already has Figo Preto.

To my viewpoint, it's high praise, not knocking on the variety. Please correct me if my perception is wrong.
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My favorite Mt Etna type is St. Rita.

I have grown and tasted: HC, St. Rita, Takoma Violet, Black Greek, MBVS, Malta Black.

All of these are my most productive figs here, and all are good.  MBVS produces slightly more.

I have all in part shade, except St. Rita, she gets at least 6 hours sun here, maybe that's why she tastes sweeter, the berryish flavor is more pronounced.  She is definitely one of the prettiest trees I have, she almost shaped herself.
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Thanks for the info here, very good info.
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If we can discuss the OP...

@Ross - I think that's a good question. Most of my first year Mt Etnas tasted the same for me too. MBVS, St Rita, Hardy Chicago, Bari, and Malta Black whether a Mt Etna or not. I wouldn't be able to tell them apart without the tags except St Rita which always seems to be wopsided (Honey Boo Boo anyone?). Salem Dark and Sal's GS were a little different with Sal's GS having a somewhat peachy flavor sometimes and Salem Dark having a little something that I don't have the words to describe but very good.

@nkesh099 - I used the search function but haven't really found any comparisons. I read that Navid's Dark Greek seems to be a very good with similar productivity and taste to a Mt Etna but "with something extra." "MBVS on steroids." Would you agree with that? Do you have any observations that separate it from other Mt Etna types? I suppose I'll never truly know unless I grow it myself and it is on my ever expanding wishlist but it is nice to hear other opinions.

Does anyone know? Do the Mt Etnas seperate themselves more as they age with flavors, hardiness, growth habits, etc. distinguishing themselves more?

I'd still be hearing comparisons of the various Mt Etnas from those that have more experience with them.

 
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I'm hoping to get some of Navid's UDG cuttings from a member this winter, very excited. As for mt. Etna's they are supposed to do well for me even if none of mine are mature yet. I just have takoma Violet and MBVS so far. I've read some very positive reviews about St. Rita and Bari this year. Too many good figs, that wish list will never ever ever end lol
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Originally Posted by don_sanders

Does anyone know? Do the Mt Etnas seperate themselves more as they age with flavors, hardiness, growth habits, etc. distinguishing themselves more?

I'd still be hearing comparisons of the various Mt Etnas from those that have more experience with them.

 

Hi Don

I think a topic specifically on this subject is long overdue. 

In posts I have seen, people seem to tout the mt etna variety that they have committed to. 
This goes to show that for cool growing zones you can't go wrong with any of them since I have yet to hear any negative feedback on any of them.  They are also great for desert climates and hot wet areas since they don't split easily.

IMO what matters is starting with a healthy plant stock and putting the effort in to grow it well.

It does stand to reason that the more established the fig tree is in ground the more cold tolerant and productive it will be. 

Flavor can be affected by level of ripeness, growing conditions and culture and even simple things like was the fig located on the outside of the tree or on the shaded inside. 
Overall this fig family produces sweet tasty figs with a berry tone.  A great fig to add to your diet since they are not overly sweet like some figs unless you let them get way overripe then they can also be extremely sweet.
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Alan,

I believe Unk Carini is similar to an English Brown Turkey. I'd love to see some pictures from this year if you have any.
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  • ross
  • · Edited

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Originally Posted by alanmercieca
The photo color is off on the photos, yet it gives you a basic idea, also I describe an unusual growth pattern of the leaves somewhere in that thread http://foodplace.info/Bountiful_Figs/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=561


The fruit is very reminiscent of the Olympian I had a few weeks ago, which I also believe to be an English BT. They're usually bronze skinned, large figs with a pinkish/light red interior & a noticeable void in the middle. A later ripening fig, but cold hardy, productive and reliable.
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Originally Posted by ross


The fruit is very reminiscent of the Olympian I had a few weeks ago, which I also believe to be an English BT. They're usually bronze skinned, large figs with a pinkish/light red interior & a noticeable void in the middle. A later ripening fig, but cold hardy, productive and reliable.


Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe Olympian has been identified as a genetically distinct variety
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  • ross
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Originally Posted by figoffrandy


Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe Olympian has been identified as a genetically distinct variety



From here: https://www.agristarts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/459/typeID/45/index.htm
 
"Won the Retailers' Choice Award at the 2014 FarWest Show! 'Olympian' is a ultra cold hardy fig & absolutely delicious. This fig produces very sweet fruits with thin purple skin with a red to violet flesh. Discovered by retired biologist Denny McGaughy, he named it after the city where he found it in a sheltered location. Denny worked with Malli Aradhy, a geneticist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Clonal Germplasm Repository to conduct DNA test to find out if it was a known cultivar. It did not match any of the 200+ figs in the repository. It appears Denny has found a unique heirloom variety that produces well in cool & coastal climates."

Although the sales literature claims that its DNA testing shows that it was not already in the USDA database of ~ 200 figs tested, there also doesn't appear to be any English Brown Turkey cultivars on the list: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2860561/figure/Fig1/
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Originally Posted by alanmercieca
I have noticed that some people just throw fig tree varieties in to Mount Etna category based upon look of fig fruit. leaves and cold hardness, for example figgyfrank's Unknown Carini, eating it's fruit they taste nothing like my Dominick's Fig. Both are supposedly Mount Etna types. Both are growing in the ground right next to each other.


Alan,

After gaining more knowledge and experience with Carini beside the typical Mt. Etna type figs, I'd agree and say that it probably does not belong in the Mt Etna category.  I find that it can taste along the lines of Longue d'Aout.  Funny how our palate becomes more refined with each new variety we taste.  ;)
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Originally Posted by FiggyFrank


Alan,

After gaining more knowledge and experience with Carini beside the typical Mt. Etna type figs, I'd agree and say that it probably does not belong in the Mt Etna category.  I find that it can taste along the lines of Longue d'Aout.  Funny how our palate becomes more refined with each new variety we taste.  ;)


Frank,

I'm very curious. Have you tasted any of these?

Bayernfeige Violeta
Emma
Feng Chan Huang
Gene's Vashon
LaRadek's BT
Nexoe/Bornholm
Olympian
Sodus Sicilian
Sweet George
Unk Carini
Valliery
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Ross,

Carini is the only one on that list I'm familiar with.  The unk Carini originates from our family.
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Old news Randy...

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/3531680/olympian-fig
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