Aligning fig name to flavor category

[smithmal]

Would appreciate it if anyone can tell me if I have made any mistakes below regarding fig name vs. flavor category as I'm trying to update my database.

From what I've read there are five generally agreed upon fig flavor categories:

• Adriatic Berry
• Bordeaux
• Dark
• Honey
• Sugar

Fig Name	Flavor Category
Alma	Adriatic Berry
Battaglia Green	Adriatic Berry
Col de Dame Noir	Adriatic Berry
Emerald Strawberry (UCR 143-36)	Adriatic Berry
Green Greek	Adriatic Berry
Green Ischia	Adriatic Berry
JH Adriatic	Adriatic Berry
Italian '88	Adriatic Berry
Monstrueuse	Adriatic Berry
Osborne Prolific	Adriatic Berry
Smith	Adriatic Berry
Vasilika Sika	Adriatic Berry
White King/Desert King	Adriatic Berry
Cavaliere	Bordeaux (Berry)
Marseilles Monticello	Bordeaux (Berry)
Olympia	Bordeaux (Berry)
Ronde de Bordeaux	Bordeaux (Berry)
St. Jerome	Bordeaux (Berry)
St. Rita	Bordeaux (Berry)
Sultane	Bordeaux (Berry)
UCR-184-15s	Bordeaux (Berry)
Violette de Bordeaux (Negronne)	Bordeaux (Berry)
Vista	Bordeaux (Berry)
Danny's Delight	Dark (Berry)
Dauphine	Dark (Berry)
Fiorone Di Ruvo	Dark (Berry)
Goutte D'Or	Dark (Berry)
Malta Black	Dark (Berry)
Marseilles Black VS	Dark (Berry)
Morena	Dark (Berry)
Nero 600m	Dark (Berry)
Sal's EL	Dark (Berry)
Takoma Violet	Dark (Berry)
Beale	Honey
Brooklyn White	Honey
Lemon	Honey
Mary Lane Seedless	Honey
Celeste (malta)	Sugar
Longue d'Aout	Sugar
Nordland	Sugar
Zingarella	Sugar

Thanks,

smithmal

[fitzski]

Kelby has created an extensive list and you might want to check his list to see if they are the same as yours.

His list is linked from his signature.

[eboone]

Hi Malcolm!
I think Marseilles Montecello is a green fig in the honey or sugar category-from reading only, I don't have it

[fitzski]

i have white marseilles from petals from the past which is supposed to be 'jefferson's fig that he had at monticello' and from what i've seen/read it is similar to Lattarula/Italian Honey.

It hasn't fruited yet but it's habit is similar to my 'Italian Honey' Fig from figtrees.net.

http://petalsfromthepast.com/catalog/fruit-plants/figs/fig-white-marseille.html

[smithmal]

Thanks for the info. I have checked Kelby's list and will amend mine to align with his.

[don_sanders]

I like seeing lists like this. Any plans to publish it online?

[smithmal]

Don, yes, I could put it online like Kelby's and others, I just want to make sure that my list is accurate in its detail first.

[Blackfoot12]

I have to tell you I feel perplexed by this. Where is the taste of melon mentioned?

[AscPete]

IMO, the only 'melon' taste that I've found is the watermelon rind flavor of an unripe fig. There are several figs that may develop a Honeydew or Cantaloupe like flavor when fully ripe but they still have a flavor profile that places them into the established flavor groups.

[smithmal]

Just for information sake, below is a table listing the flavor category, flavor description and fig examples. This information was taken from a thread posted by ascpete found here.

Flavor Category	Flavor Description	Examples of
Adriatic Berry	Sugar sweet, ranging from lightly sweet to very sweet with berry flavor, yellow or green skin and usually red pulp, with more complex additional flavors developing when fully ripe. Fig flavor can range from none to light. Seed crunch can range from none to strong with nutty flavor.	B. Green Ischia, Conadria, C. Adriatic JH, Battaglia Green, Green Greek, Adriatic, Strawberry Verte, CalVert, Vasilika Sika, Stella
Bordeaux Berry	Sweet, with a berry taste which is rich with a slightly complex additional flavors, when ripe (jammy interior), other wise it has a standard Dark Flavor. Fig flavor can range from none to light. Seed crunch can range from none to strong with nutty flavor.	A. Ronde de Bordeaux, B. Violet de Bordeaux, Mission, Vista, Petite Negri, Beers black, C. Valle Negra, Noir de Caromb, Kathleen Black
Dark Berry	Mildly sweet to very sweet,some degree of berry flavor, and some degree of acidity, some with complex additional flavors. Fig flavor can range from none to some (medium). Seed crunch can range from none to strong with nutty flavor.	A. Marsailles Black VS*, Tacoma Violet*, B. Hardy Chicago, Sal EL, Gino's Black, Portuguese Black, Maltese falcon, C. Dark Sicilian, Papa John, Scotts Black, Etc.
Honey	Honey sweet, ranging from lightly sweet to very sweet with rich (creamy) and or complex additional flavors. Fig flavor can range from none to light. Seed crunch can range from none to strong with nutty flavor.	A. Italian Honey*, Lattarula*, B. Atreano, Brooklyn White, White Marseilles, Gold, Hollier, Champagne C. Kadota, Dotatto, Etc.
Sugar	Sugar sweet, ranging from lightly sweet to very sweet with added flavor from light maple to brown sugar and range from simple to complex additional flavors. Fig flavor can range from none to strong.Seed crunch can range from none to strong with nutty flavor.	A. Celeste*, improved Celeste*, Southern Brown Turkey* B. English Brown Turkey, O'Rourke, Italian Ever-bearing, Sal's Corleone, Palermo Red, Sicilian Red, Panevino Dark, Aldo, Weeping Black, Brunswick, Magnolia, Paradiso. C. California Brown Turkey, Black Jack, , Etc.
Exotic	No Description?	B. Fico Preto, C. Black Madeira, Ischia Black

LEGEND: A = Early Ripening; B = Late Ripening; C = Late Ripening; * Cold Hardy

[eboone]

I have been wondering which dark category some of the high class dark figs are in like Preto and BM, Genovese Nero, Cavaliere, Pastelliere, Lebanese Red.

[Kelby]

Ed, I've never seen those listed in a category. I think there should be a Madeira or syrup category, too. I just had a thread listing some of those types, they certainly are a unique type. I don't think Pete grows those so they didn't get a group.

[AscPete]

I haven't tasted many of the "high class dark figs" but if they have a "Berry flavor" they can be placed in the Dark or Bordeaux Flavor group...

Most figs can and will develop the "syrup" interior when they're fully ripe and its not actually a flavor.

In my limited personal experience and opinion there are actually only two flavor groups, Plain and Berry, all figs fall into one of there flavor groups. The majority of fig growers including myself prefer the more intense flavors and flavor profiles of the Berry Flavored figs regardless of their skin colors.

[Kelby]

Trust me, aligning Preto/Black Madeira with dark berry varieties is like calling a Lamborghini a coupe. Technically true but not telling the full story!

[AscPete]

Kelby,
That's why I suggested the 'Exotic' category for the collectors.

[Rafaelissimmo]

Pete I like your observation about intense berry figs, I think its pretty accurate.

[mountainfigs]

Here is an earlier thread on this:
http://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-ho...er-latest-figs
It includes the table I drew up:

Thinking along the lines of mainly flavor and color, I've begun to compile tentative lists surely not mistake-free, far from complete, and more than a little arbitrary:

1. DARK SUGAR GEL (DARK SKIN, LIGHT PULP) --- LSU IMPROVED CELESTE, LSU O'ROURKE, HUNT, CELESTE, LSU TIGER, SWEET GEORGE
2. GOLD HONEY GEL (GOLD/YELLOW SKIN, LIGHT PULP) --- LSU CHAMPAGNE, JANICE, ALMA, KADOTA, PETER'S HONEY, LSU GOLD, EXCEL, TROJANO, SCOTT'S YELLOW, BRANDY, BARADA, DEANNA, GOLDEN RIVERSIDE (278-128)
3. INTENSE LIGHT BERRY JAM: "ADRIATIC" (LIGHT SKIN, DARK PULP) --- BATTAGLIA GREEN, PARADISO GM-9, CALVERTE, VERTE, ISCHIA GREEN, ADRIATIC, PANACHEE, ADRIATIC JH
4. INTENSE DARK BERRY JAM: "PREMIER" (DARK SKIN / DARK PULP) --- NERO BARNISOTTE, FIGO PRETO / BLACK MADEIRA, NOIRE DE CAROMBE / KATHLEEN'S BLACK, BOURJASOTTE NOIRE, BROGIOTTO NERO, VIOLETTE SOLLIES, COL DE DAME NOIRE
5. MOUNTAIN BERRY JAM: "MT ETNA" (DARK SKIN, DARK PULP) --- MARSEILLES BLACK, TAKOMA VIOLET, GINO'S BLACK, PAPA JOHN, KEDDIE, GINOSO, NATALINA, SAL'S, HARDY CHICAGO, ZINGARELLA, DARK PORTUGUESE, ROSSI DARK, SPANISH UNKNOWN, SALEM DARK, BLACK BETHLEHEM, MARYLAND BERRY, MALTA BLACK, DANNY'S DELIGHT, BLACK GREEK?, ST RITA, BLACK PORTUGAL
6. MOLASSES BERRY JAM: "BORDEAUX" (VERY DARK SKIN, DARK PULP) --- VISTA, NERO 600M, PETITE NEGRI, NEGRONNE, VIOLETTE DE BORDEAUX, VALLE CALDA (mislabeled VALLE NEGRA), AUBIQUE PETITE?
7. DARK BERRY JAM (DARK SKIN, DARK PULP) --- LSU BLACK / SCOTT'S BLACK, MALTA PURPLE RED, RONDE DE BORDEAUX, SICILIAN BLACK, SULTANE, NEGRETTA
8. LIGHT BERRY GEL (LIGHT SKIN, DARK PULP) --- WHITE TRIANA, BROOKLYN WHITE, LYNDHURST WHITE / LATAROLLA, BINELLO, CONADRIA, TEXAS BA-1 / SMITH / NEW DAN, GOLDEN CELESTE, FIGOIN
9. OTHER LIGHT (LIGHT SKIN, MISC PULP) --- LEMON (BLANCHE), BANANA, LATTERULA, ATREANO, MARY LANE, LONG YELLOW, LSU HOLLIER, ARMENIAN, JURUPA, CHICO STRAWBERRY (SARATOGA), ST ANTHONY
10. OTHER DARK (DARK SKIN, MISC PULP) --- PASTILIERE, PARADISO BRONZE, PALERMO RED, PURPLE PASSION, LSU PURPLE, MISSION, BROOKLYN DARK, OSBORNE PROLIFIC, WUHAN, BEALL, BAVARIAN VIOLET, LSU RED, MEGA CELESTE, FLOREA
11. UNIQUE GRAY (GRAY SKIN / RED PULP) --- GRISE DE ST JEAN, COL DE DAME GRIS, BOURJASOTTE GRIS, BARNISOTTE GRIS, GRISE OLIVETTE
12. SAN PEDRO --- GRANTHAM'S ROYAL / ROYAL VINEYARD, FILACCIANO, FIORONE DI RUVO, DESERT KING
13. DIGITATE LEAF (MISCELLANEOUS SKIN & PULP) --- STELLA / DALMATIE, PARADISO GENOVA, MAGNOLIA / BRUNSWICK, EMERALD STRAWBERRY (143-36)

The list above originally did not include Brooklyn White, which as I've noted elsewhere has been a tremendous revelation to me this year: quality breba, great production, good size, wonderful flavor, and the only light fig to ripen fruit in ground after total top kill.

Above: I've added Brooklyn White to Light Berry Gel. Also, I've moved Malta Black to Mountain Berry Jam: Mt Etna. No doubt I'll make other adjustments in the future.

[Blackfoot12]

When I say melon, I do mean that cantaloupe or honey dew melon type flavor. I am no expert on figs. But I am a good cook and I have a keen nose (associated with taste). I taste that melon flavor fairly often. I can't be the only one. Sorry this belongs with AscPetes reply but I don't know how to group it with it.

[AscPete]

You can use the 'Comment' drop down button at the bottom of most Posts.

I rarely taste melon flavors when the figs are ripe.

[Blackfoot12]

OK. Thanks for that.

[AscPete]

Malcolm,

In the OP (Opening Post) there are several cultivars that may not be in their "correct" Flavor group...

Alma - Honey Flavor!
Italian '88 - Honey or Sugar flavor?
Marseilles Monticello - Honey Flavor!
Olympia (n) - Sugar Flavor!
St. Jerome - Dark Berry?
St. Rita - Dark Berry?
Goutte D'Or - Sugar?

And here's photos of figs from the five flavor groups, http://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-ho...aste#post36347 harvested this season...