Have you ever looked at one of these fruits and wondered whether it was a fig or a breva? We will reveal the characteristics of these two foods that ripen on the fig tree but are not the same and, in addition, have different harvests.
Figs and Breva come from the fig tree ( Ficus Carica ), a plant species that has its roots in the East and that seems to be one of the first fruit trees that humans began to cultivate. Israeli studies have found evidence in the Jordan Valley that shows the presence of this species more than seven thousand years ago, which would give an indication of how long ago it was domesticated: we have been eating figs and breva for a long time! These fruits are a delicacy that was well known to the ancient civilizations that inhabited this region of the world.
Although fig trees are now found in other places, not necessarily in the Mediterranean, spread throughout the world and also in Spain, their history is absolutely linked to the Mediterranean peoples, for whom they were a highly valued food that was already recommended in Classical Greece for its properties. Sweet, tasty, with a granular texture that makes them unique… do you know what differentiates figs from Breva?
What are figs?
The fig is the fruit of the fig tree and, as such, has the botanical peculiarity of being an infructescence. According to the definition provided by the RAE, an infructescence is a “fruit formed by a grouping of several small fruits with the appearance of a unit.” In other words, a fig is not strictly a single fruit, but the sum of several of them, so we could speak of a group of “fruits.” Delicate, precisely because they are plump and plump, if they are ripe they must be transported with extreme care. There are many different varieties of fig, which have different colors and types of skin.
What are Breva?
Fruit of the same tree, Breva are figs that do not complete their ripening in their season, when the heat ends, and that remain on the fig tree in a dormant state, without evolving, waiting for their opportunity. When spring comes, these fruits ripen into this other morsel, Breva. It is important to note that not all fig trees have a double harvest, that of figs and that of Breva, the latter being more exceptional than the former, which do occur in all fig trees. When the tree does bear fruit twice, it is a bifeda or re-flowering fig tree and, then yes, the first fruit it bears in the year are Breva.
Fig or breva? How to tell them apart
Although, as we have seen, Breva and figs bear fruit and are harvested from the same tree – the fig tree – each has its own organoleptic characteristics, which make them different from each other and unique in the world of fruit. Although at first glance it may be difficult to find the difference between them, if we take as a reference the parameters that we will mention below, the task becomes easier.
Ripening time and harvest season
While Breva ripen during the pre-summer months, which is why they contain more water and are harvested in June and July at the beginning of summer, figs are harvested between August and September, or even in October. In other words, figs are a fruit that belongs to the opposite side of the summer calendar, when it is coming to an end, and whose harvest can last until the beginning of autumn. In other words, although both are harvested in the warmer half of the year, each has its own optimal ripening time.
Color: the figs are darker
The colour of the outer skin of the fig, which is thicker and more aromatic than that of the breva, can vary, ranging from green tones in some varieties to purple and black in others. Once opened, the layer between the skin and the pulp is whitish and its interior can range from pale pink to deep fuchsia.
The fig, however, always has a dark purple skin, almost blackish, which is thinner and therefore more delicate and brittle. The layer between the skin and the inside is also white, and its flesh is a deep pink.
Size: figs are larger
If we analyse the difference between these fruits from the aspect of their size, the breva wins, as it is larger than the fig. The latter, small and rounded in shape, is different from the breva, which has a shape more tending to a pear, with the end that joins it to the tree being flatter.
Taste: figs, more intense and sweet
With an equally fleshy interior, which allows for a juicy bite despite the fact that both share the grainy interior texture, in terms of flavour, unlike the previous one regarding size, the fig wins in intensity and sweetness, which is a bite in which these two characteristics are more concentrated. The Breva is, in comparison, less tasty and sweet, taking into account that its ripening process is prior to summer and that it has a higher water content.
Nutritional content: more water in figs
Composed of up to 80% water when consumed fresh, the fig is a fruit rich in natural sugars and has a high energy content. Characterized by having many nutritional advantages, among which are its high content of mineral salts, such as calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium, as well as fiber, it is a very satiating food and loaded with vitamins B and C and omega 3 and 6 fats. If we consume them in a dried version, their carbohydrate content is increased as an energizing food.
Like figs, breva contains a large amount of water, even more than figs, and is rich in carbohydrates and fiber, which, in addition to being satiating, is beneficial for regulating intestinal transit problems. Due to its vitamin A content, it also has antioxidant power and is loaded with organic acids and minerals (potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium).
Where does the saying “figs come in Breva” come from?
This popular expression was coined to refer precisely to the time that passes between the fig season, at the end of summer and beginning of autumn, until the following year, when these fruits do not ripen and remain on the tree until they become figs.
It is used to refer to something that happens with infrequency, very occasionally or every so often, taking into account that the measurement taken is precisely that from the figs harvested between August and September to the potential figs that could be produced the following year there is a long period.
Recipes and culinary uses of figs and Breva
As fruits, eaten naturally, at their perfect point of ripeness, both are a delight. Figs and Breva work without any other accompaniment, as the main bite, but they are also good ingredients to include in salads that we want to balance with a sweet touch or in sauces in which we seek to add this nuance in a natural way. For example, to accompany meats.
They also fit perfectly in tartlets with a savoury base that contain, for example, cheese and vegetables, and that we want to liven up with a sweet touch. They are perfect for desserts made with all kinds of dough, especially in cakes, and if there is puff pastry or a coca involved, they become a delicacy.
Raw, cleaned, and cut, figs are perfect companions for sweetening dairy products: cheeses of all kinds, yogurt, kefir… and, among the most popular options due to the possibility of their conservation, they are also an excellent raw material for preparing jam and turning them into marmalade that will accompany us throughout the year. Until the next harvest.