Figo Preto / Fico Preto

[starch]

Sorry for the newbie-ish question. I did some searches and couldn't find anything definitive. But I apologize if this question was already asked and answered.

Is: Figo Preto = Fico Preto?

If the above is true, which is more standard / correct?

[Harborseal]

They're the same plant. Fico is Italian for fig and Figo is Portugese. Preto is a Portugese fig and the woman who brought the tree to California called it Figo Preto so that's the preferred name, especially by the Portugese. There are a few people who would fuss at you for using fico. OTOH, if someone offered me a perfectly ripe version of it on the condition that I called it Fico Preto, I wouldn't hesitate. Unless HarveyC offered me something better.

[HarveyC]

Just to clarify further, "preto" is not specifically the name of a fig, it is Portuguese for "black". Figo Preto just means "black fig". Some folks from Portugal who have wanted to cash in on the demand for Black Madeira and Figo Preto (which I am 99% sure to be identical figs) by selling cuttings of whatever black fig they happen to have on hand. In some cases, it seems that they've sold Brebrera Preta (which we also know as Abebereira, the name given by the same lady who shared Figo Preto with Sue).

[starch]

Thanks for the explanation Harborseal!

OTOH, if someone offered me a perfectly ripe version of it on the condition that I called it Fico Preto, I wouldn't hesitate.

Ha! Yes, I think all of us here can be bribed by excellent figs

[Rafaelissimmo]

I think that Fico is an entirely erroneous misnomer, Sue Vanderveen never called it that and what is more, as Bob stated, Fico is Italian, and this is NOT an Italian fig. Totally wrong, the only reason it is out there is because there is no such thing as fig police to correct every misnomer out there. But its wrong. Period. :-)

[HarveyC]

Agreed.

[starch]

Rafael, thanks for this. Yeah there seem to be quite a few fig misnomers out there. But henceforth I will refer to it only as Figo Preto

[Harborseal]

There are a few people who would fuss at you for using fico.

I think that Fico is an entirely erroneous misnomer, Sue Vanderveen never called it that and what is more, as Bob stated, Fico is Italian, and this is NOT an Italian fig. Totally wrong, the only reason it is out there is because there is no such thing as fig police to correct every misnomer out there. But its wrong. Period. :-)

As I said...