Does someone know the difference....

[Marina]

between an "Higo" and a "Breva"???

As alwasy 3 smilies for the winner!!!

[richardksa]

a breva needs to grow to be a higo?

[Edith]

between an "Higo" and a "Breva"???

As alwasy 3 smilies for the winner!!!

A breva is an early fig. 'Higo' just means 'fig'.

(I have to admit I used a dictionary)

[Marina]

:):):) for Richardska y Edith. Some fig trees have two harvests. The first one in the early sumer is called "Breva" and the one at the end of the summer is called "Higo".

I just asked this question because I wanted to tell you about our trip to the market earlier this evening:

There is a guy at a fruit stall that usually gives us a piece of fruit to try while we do our shopping (He also appears in the first podcast that I did with Ben (http://www.notesfromspain.com/68/)). For a few months I haven't visited the market as much as I use to, so recently I went there and the fruit-assistant told me "I haven't seen you for a very looong time" and then when I asked for figs (brevas - because we are in the early summer) he said "As I don't have many left you can have all of them for 1 Euro" and gave me about 1Kg normally priced at 2 Euros.

Today I went with Ben to the stall where they sell pieces to mend blinds and when he saw me going pass in the distance he said "I've got delicious cherries. I'll give you 1 Kg for 2 Euros" (normal price is 2.60 Euros a Kg). So there we went and again had all the remaining figs of the day for 1 Euro this time about 2 Kg which make two enormous plates like the one in the picture below.

While we were coming back home I was telling Ben that he obviously does it because it's summer and figs don't keep for very long, and as I go at the end of his working day he prefers to sell them cheaply and have some fresh ones the following morning. But also it's his technic to make you buy more than you had previously planned because he is so nice!. In the end we bought 1kg of cherries, 1 kg of peaches, 1 kg of tomatoes, 1 melon and of course a ton of figs!!!

http://www.notesfromspain.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=78&stc=1&d=1150926582

[Edith]

In the end we bought 1kg of cherries, 1 kg of peaches, 1 kg of tomatoes, 1 melon and of course a ton of figs!!!

And what did you do with all these fruits and vegetables? ;D
BTW, I love figs, but I only know the dried variety... how do the Spanish eat theirs?

[catavino]

I love figs, try wrapping them with iberian bacon and roasting them....YUMMMMMMMM

[Marina]

I wash them and eat them with skin. Ben is a bit more fussy and peels them, but there is no need really.

They are also great with iberico ham and mozzarella and a bit of balsamic vinager, but that is not a Spanish recipie. I supposse its origin is probably italian but I learnt it from Ben's mother.

And don't worry, it so hot that we eat fruit all the time so probably all the fruit won't last more that 3 or 4 days.

[Ben]

I wash them and eat them with skin. Ben is a bit more fussy and peels them...
Not always:rolleyes:

[Edith]

With jamón ibérico....hmmm! Great suggestion! :)

[Alan]

Figs taste so much better when they're just off the tree and into your mouth. Skin on.

[Polly]

Not always:rolleyes:

Meaning: Marina doesn't always wash them (before eating), or you're not always fussy? :D ;)

[Ben]

Not always fussy :D But quite often:rolleyes:

[Marbella]

Prompted by this thread and the fact that I'd never eaten figs before, we bought some in the local supermarket yesterday. Luckily they were on offer, £1.99 reduced from £2.99 for 4 figs. A luxury item here I think!

I preferred them skin-off and expected them to be sweeter in taste.

[Ben]

Try them again in Spain some time! It's a whole different story to the fairly dull figs I picked up in Waitrose when I was last in the UK. And to my mind the deep purple Brevas that appear in shops before the figs (higos)are the best of all. Brevas season will end fairly soon I imagine, and then the higos will start to appear.

[Marbella]

This is funny, we bought them in Waitrose! They were sourced from Spain but tasteless; probably as a result of chilling in transport or being on the shelf too long.

I'm not put off, thanks for the tip, will try them again next time in Spain.

[Brian]

Figs are a bit exotic for the part of the US that I live in, and I can't say that I've ever tasted any fig that wasn't shrivelled and dried. What is the consistency/taste of a just-picked fig? Anything to compare it to?

[Marina]

I wouldn't know what to compare it with.
It's softer than the dryed version, equally sweet but much more tender and a bit more watery.

[ValenciaSon]

Does it have the same consistency as a strawberry or cherry on the inside?

[Ben]

Softer and mushier. Sumptuously sweet and succulent!

[gary]

This is funny, we bought them in Waitrose! They were sourced from Spain but tasteless; probably as a result of chilling in transport or being on the shelf too long.

I'm not put off, thanks for the tip, will try them again next time in Spain.

probably irradiated too - isnt it worrying that 'salad' tomatoes last at least a month in the fridge - they too have no taste and are all exactly the same size....