tall clover farm

The bluebird of happiness has landed on this fig. I’m not sure who Vern is, but after taking a couple of bites out of his namesake, I’d had to say, “Thank you, thank you very much.”  (That was my Elvis voice.) The fig is a syrupy sweet bon bon of deliciousness, almost jam-like in its center. The [...]

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  I have not quite exhausted my fig fest of love and wish to offer up one more fine fig in the August lineup: Violette du Bordeaux (or Negronne as it’s often called).  I just picked this fig today, three days later than I picked it last year. (How’s that for consistent ripening.) If you’re thinking about growing one in cool coastal [...]

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 Peter’s Honey Fig, thin-skinned and sweet as candy Earlier in the week, I waxed on about a fig named Desert King; juicy, prolific, dependable and one of my favorites. This week I beg its pardon, and must swoon over my new best friend in the orchard: Peter’s Honey Fig. While I have no idea who Peter is, I’ll vouch for the [...]

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There’s nothing like a fresh ripe fig and there’s nothing like a fresh unripe fig.  Ripe delivers a juicy, succulent and melting gem to fawn over. Unripe tastes like a wasted opportunity: dry, starchy and flavorless.  It’s good to know the difference. Here’s my photo guide to knowing when to pick your homegrown figs. Figs can be [...]

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 Desert King Fig: It’s big, green, sweet and easy to grow. There’s nothing like a fresh fig, especially if  perfectly ripe and dripping with nectar (see blossom end of above photo). And of all the figs you can grow in the Pacific Northwest, Desert King (a name that belies its happy habit in a cool climate) is one [...]

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   Bayernfeige Violetta Fig fresh from the tree (Big fig; that’s a 10-inch dinner plate.) Clogged gutters and one wet Tom welcomed October this week, and while I have some rock hard green figs that have no chance of ripening in the chilly downpours of recent storms, my Bayernfeige Violetta fig came through with a handful of juicy gems. [...]

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Cheesy Fig Bombs Recipe: Figs wrapped in bacon stuffed with goat cheese If there are figs in your fridge or on your tree, do I have a recipe for you: cheesy bacon fig bombs. Simple, salty, sweet, savory and delicious, figs stuffed with goat cheese wrapped in bacon is about as good as a recipe [...]

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Favorite fig that I grow: Negronne, a.k.a. Violette du  Bordeaux Figs are delicious on just about every level. The tree looks tropical, the leaves are the preferred couture of modest statues everywhere, and the fruit is a sugary bon-bon that is comfortable in savory and sweet cuisine alike. This is the first year that I’ve harvested [...]

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