Originally Posted by apnoist
The three col de dames differ only in colour.

Originally Posted by Dan_la
Col De Dame White is an awesome tasting fig. It is hands down the best tasting fig in my collection of over one hundred cultivars. From my fig trials, I know that it is very rain tolerant (i.e. its flavor is not diminished and it does not swell & split, nor go sour due to its small eye which keeps all bugs out). I actually had standing water around my tree in the past when I picked some fantastic tasting figs. My tree has produced a few breba figs for me that are very good tasting. However, brebas were not near the taste level of those main crop figs.

FYI......My climate is hotter and longer than Jon's climate in San Diego and I can better ripen those late season figs. South Louisiana usually has a dry weather pattern in the fall unless we have a tropical storm or hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. Dry weather in South Louisiana means a Mediterranean type climate which is perfect for ripening figs. To that good climate add Mississippi river delta soil which is perfect for growing figs.........and you can see why South Louisiana (i.e area South of I-10) is arguably the best location in the United States to grow figs in the ground for maximum taste.

Right now we are having perfect fig weather in my area.  Many mid season figs that are now ripening are off the chart good.....no BS. Some of these mid season figs are actually better tasting that the earlier fig varieties.

Here's a link where I describe some of the fruiting characteristics of the figs that I am studying.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg0621220325558.html?46

Dan

Originally Posted by Dan_la
I was comparing Col De Dame's "taste only" (not its overall performance) to all of my figs......black and white/yellow/green.  I am not yet ready to rate Col De Dame on its overall performance.

FYI; since that post was written,  I have discovered a local unknown heirloom fig that tastes even better than Col De Dame. It is an absolute superb, very rich and complex tasting fig "that does perform well" in my rainy area.  And it does not have FMV. Col De Dame from UCD will have FMV.....but, it is an excellent tasting and rain tolerant fig from what I have seen.  IMO, it is still under trial....because it sure does taste good and I will continue to grow this fig for many more years. I need more data in regards to its productivity. I like the fact that it ripens late when other figs have stopped producing.

Now my new fig discovery is an "early" season fig while Col De Dame is a "late fall" ripening fig. I call this new fig... Black Beauty 10. It is hands down the best tasting fig I have ever eaten.....and I have eaten a lot of different varieties figs from many many trees in South Louisiana.

Even blind folded Martin would love the taste of Col De Dame White. It is a well respected and much appreciated fig in other countries for good reason. Most figs have one, two, and sometimes three "musical flavor notes" going on and dancing in your mouth/tongue/palate. Col De Dame is like having a 10 piece band playing those nice flavor note. However,  BB10 is like having the the whole Philharmonic Orchestra playing those flavor notes on your tongue and palate. It is fairly easy to describe a single flavor note or two.......however, it is more difficult to try to describe flavor notes coming from a large band and much more difficult when it is coming from a whole orchestra.

Dan
Semper Fi-cus