A Trader Joe’s Taste Testing Blog
Trader Joe’s Black Figs. They seem interesting, I like the name, but how do you eat them? It’s a question that betrays by ignorance as a novice fig eater. My childhood home had plenty of the mundane fruit – your apples, oranges and bananas, but the wider world of fascinating fruit was unknown to me until adulthood. Certainly not figs. Maybe that’s why I’m so fascinated by exotic plumcots and saturn peaches. Once you figure out what to do with these figs (just put them in your mouth and chew, it turns out), you’ll have to decide if you like sweet, meaty drupes or not. We’ll get to that in a second.
Fruit is always a fascinating food to interact with, which is what I find fascinating about it. Contrary to, say, a hamburger, eating a fruit always involves some sort of trick, and each fruit’s trick is unique. There always seems to be a trick, natural or cultural, that makes eating a particular fruit more enjoyable, tasty, or hygienic; if you don’t know it, you’re left with a messy, unpleasant, or even inedible mystery.
I recall simply staring at a whole persimmon as I turned it over in my hands the first time I did so. With just me and a new piece of food, I felt as though I had suddenly returned to a monkey’s mentality and was debating whether to peel it or not.
Of course, somewhere in the world someone knows exactly the best way to eat a persimmon. “Let it soften and use a spoon!” they’re yelling, just like someone knows the best way to peel a banana or how to slice a mango. Nature isn’t spending any money in the Market Research department, standing around and saying, “Yes, but will our target demographic like getting the coconuts open?” Unlike Target or Apple, Nature isn’t bothered by the user interface. It brings its product to market regardless, it’s up to us if we’re going to figure out how to use them.
All of my ignorance regarding fig consumption is laughable in light of the fact that figs may have been the first crop ever cultivated by humans; historical records date fig cultivation to 9000 BC, or roughly 11,000 years ago. The fact that we still eat figs today suggests that they must be a real hit with consumers.
When you receive your Trader Joe’s fig, the texture of the fruit will be the first thing you notice. This is a typical trait of ripe figs, but it’s also a little unappealing. Take a bite while holding the fig by the stem; the flavor is lusciously sweet but also complex. This fruit is unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before because of its smooth skin, meaty fruit, and crunchy seeds. The fig’s strawberry pink interior contrasts stunningly with its exterior’s purple-black hue. I discovered that I could only eat a few of these two or three because of their sticky sweetness and the taste of their high dietary fiber, which reminded me of a ripe prune. Overall, a positive experience, but not one I’d want to have every day or even every week. However, if you don’t necessarily enjoy figs as snacks, there are a variety of interesting ways to incorporate them into other foods or cuisines.
The best recommendation may be found on Trader Joe’s website; try halving a fig and serving it with some blue cheese crumbles and honey. Voila, the perfect hors d’oeuvre.
Breakdown:
Would I Recommend Them: Definitely, as this fruit is intriguing, delectable, and unique. You should try these figs if you’ve never had one.
Would I repurchase them: Probably not, unless I wanted to wow guests.
Summary: Interesting fruits that are sweet and fleshy will liven up your boring fruit bowl.
Guess what I discovered yesterday at Trader Joe’s? Fresh California Black figs with a strawberry center are available in 1 lb containers and are very sweet and delicious. However, the fruit is only about the size of a quarter or slightly larger. Because the skin was so thin, I could eat it. I dont know the variety. I must return and obtain one or two more. the ones I bought yesterday. are gone. 🙂 Sue Related Stories.