Black Mission Figs Make Appearance at Farmer’s Market
The Sacramento Bee recently published a feature on the Black Mission figs of local farmer Buck Novak. Novak “had quite a stack of them at the Cesar Chavez Plaza market in downtown Sacramento,” despite their rarity in stores and farmer’s markets in the area. The price was $5 a pound, and “he expects the crop to last a couple more weeks.”
Like many farmers in the Sacramento area, Novak’s crops were harmed by the unusual torrents of late spring rain we experienced. Last year Northern California got about 3 inches of rain during March and April; this year it was closer to ten.
“It’s been a tough year,” he said. “I lost all of my peaches to the late spring rains, and even the figs are late, but the quality is good.”
Good, indeed! His figs were such a beautiful, deep purple that one shopper asked him if they were torpedo onions. Novak wrinkled his nose and shook his head, puzzled by the question.
According to the Bee, a ripe fig is “slightly soft but not mushy or bruised, although sometimes they tear at the stem end when they are picked.” Black Mission figs have a deep purple color and “a clear, sticky syrup at the blossom end.” The Bee also suggested some great tips for enjoying figs: “Try them sliced into a green salad with Roquefort cheese and pecan pieces sprinkled over the top. They are also good with Gorgonzola cheese and prosciutto.”
[Photo from Local Harvest]
