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mgginva

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
Today I had visitors from Richmond and NJ. After a fairly long visit to the potted orchard we sat down to a fig tasting. We had Lemon, Hollier, Peter's Honey, Celeste, Brown Turkey, Alma, Saint Rita, Gino's, Hardy Chicago, Ronde de Bordeaux and store bought Panachee. 

The top fig position was a tie

#1 and 2 Ronde de Bordeaux and Saint Rita
#3 Alma
#4 Hardy Chicago
#5 Lemon at 100 grams a piece
#6 Gino's
#7 and 8 Hollier and Peter's Honey
#9 Celeste
#10 Brown Turkey
#11 Panachee -- for store bought they weren't terrible

This was a lot of fun and because each fig was quartered, not as many were eaten as I thought - meaning there were a few left at the end. One note; the St. Rita was much better this year then last year.
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Michael in Virginia (zone 7a) Wish list:   Perretta, 
HarveyC

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
LOL, my Panache are my best-tasting figs so far this year. But they sure aren't store bought! :)

My Col de Dame Blanc are nice.  The Ronde de Bordeaux are very nice if they are very ripe but just "okay" if still firm.  I've been impressed with Martinenca Rimada.  I have some others also but can't remember them all right now.

Thanks for sharing, wish there were photos! :)
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Harvey - Correia Farms
Isleton, CA (Sacramento County) USDA zone 9b, Sunset zone 14

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Grasa

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Hey Mike, does your Peter's Honey has that purplish outlining at the pulp? What color is your fig's pulp?
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Grasa
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mgginva

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
Grasa, I don't know off the top of my head. I should pick one tomorrow if there aren't any in the kitchen and I'll reply to you then. As I may have told you before but don't remember I think I have halfheimers.
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Michael in Virginia (zone 7a) Wish list:   Perretta, 
mgginva

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
Grasa,
I looked at this year's crop - well the 3 figs from yesterday and then pictures from the last 2 years and there is no other color in the pulp besides the amber/yellow color. I have never seen purple in the pulp of a fig before. It's pretty but I wonder where the heck it came from. I'd love it if you kept me informed.
thx,
mgg
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Michael in Virginia (zone 7a) Wish list:   Perretta, 
Ampersand

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Nice list, thanks Michael!

For my own curiosity, were the BT and Celeste bad or just not as good?
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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
You shared a St Rita?  You're a pretty nice guy!
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Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.
mgginva

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Kelby,
No actually both Celeste and BT were good - it was just they were a bit "boring". I like Celeste for making my preserves I put on pork loins and for eating between the really strong berry flavored figs.

Bob,
Boy you are right about that. Last year I wasn't that impressed. This year I am. I will certainly make a few more St Ritas so I can keep at least one more. I did not get a big harvest as I cut too much off my St Rita giving away cuttings. Not gonna happen again.
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Michael in Virginia (zone 7a) Wish list:   Perretta, 
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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grasa
Hey Mike, does your Peter's Honey has that purplish outlining at the pulp? What color is your fig's pulp?


I think the purple coloration investing the inner skin/outer pulp is generally associated with breba figs. I had a handful of Peter's Honey brebas this season (all pretty blah) and all had that purple effect. The same was true for almost all of my other brebas from various different varieties. I've never seen that color with my main crop P. Honey figs.
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Neil
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mgginva

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
Neil,
Purple haze? A Hendricks experience? Could it breba true?
That sounds reasonable. I just picked 3 more PH and am impressed as this has been a very good (not great) fig with great production for the last 2 years. 
I am going out to pick a couple of St Ritas that I have hidden in organza bags that should be perfectly ripe. Right now the 12 or so varieties I'm harvesting are a really good balance.
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Michael in Virginia (zone 7a) Wish list:   Perretta, 
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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
I'll expect one of those St. Rita figs in my mailbox tomorrow courtesy of overnight mail. As you know, I managed to kill the St. Rita cuttings you sent this spring. What a clusterbleep most of my rooting season was over the winter. Won't screw it up that way again (I'll figure out another way!).

So, I have one Mary Lane that started swelling four days ago (and it's huge - not a breba). My recollection is that this fig is a medium late variety for me, yet it's the fourth out of maybe 50 varieties that will produce for me this year to start ripening a fig. What stage is your Mary Lane at right now?
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Neil
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mgginva

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
Neil,
First don't worry I'll take care of you come fall, but sorry no overnight St Ritas as I sent out too many cuttings last year and got a reduced harvest which I'm not happy about. All it will take is a couple greedy squirrels and I'm St Ritasless.
New ones today;
Nero, Dottato, Black Greek and the most beautiful Zingerellas - they are absolutely beautiful deep purple. wow
My MLS are usually toward the late end of the list and I have figs but no swelling and no color change at all.
I will think about you though while I eat this hand full of RdB which I'm beginning to think is my best all round fig.
Cold hardy, productive, early, beautiful and very berry tasting.
So far very impressed by my huge (100 gram) Lemons and Hollier is particularly tasty -- ah they all are 

I LOVE FIGS !!!!!!!!!!!!

Rewton you best get out here soon as the figs they are a poppin !!
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Michael in Virginia (zone 7a) Wish list:   Perretta, 
mgginva

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
Harvey,
You are eating some of the absolute best figs.
As far as photos, I take them of every fig that ripens every year. If you really need any I have my fig library full of those that are ripened. This year I'm even weighing them. I bought a brix meter but have not been able to get a method for accurate readings yet.
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Michael in Virginia (zone 7a) Wish list:   Perretta, 
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