Fig season is finally upon us! If you’re like me, you’re so eager to devour figs that you pick them as soon as they look just big enough. You are then immediately met with grave disappointment as you tear open a dry, chalky fig. Despair no more, for here is how to pick a perfectly ripe fig!
You’ll want to look for several key indicators when trying to pick the perfect figs. These indicators include color, feel & texture, taste & smell, and look.
Color: You’re looking for a noticeable color change in your figs. For green varieties, you’ll notice a change from a darker shade of green to a lighter shade. For purple varieties, you’ll certainly notice a shift from green to a dark purple or brown coloring.
Feel & Texture: Your figs should be soft to the touch when squeezed! Some say to pick figs once they reach the texture of a water balloon.
Taste & Smell: Your figs should have an intense, sweet flavor. You should be able to smell this sweetness prior to eating. Unripe figs have a vegetal, cucurbit-like flavor.
Look: The figs should be drooping off the branch, not growing upward. Their skin should be slightly wrinkly, not taut. Be careful not to pick unripe figs as they do not ripen off the branch!
Looking for more resources on determining the ripeness of fruit? Check out our official City Fruit Ripeness Guide for a one-stop-shop for all your needs!
Written by: Hallie Evans, AmeriCorps VISTA Fundraising & Communications Specialist