Sugar Honey Figs | What are they? And the few varieties that fall under this category.
Updated: Oct 16, 2022
What is a Sugar Honey fig?
Well if you've read my separate writings on Sugar & Honey figs, you pretty much
know the answer. This flavor profile of figs is just a combination of the two. I wouldn't say it's halfway between though because it's first and foremost a Honey fig, but they're so different than the other Honey figs, it's difficult to for me to place them there. They have an additional component of complexity and to me that lies in the figgy flavor of a Sugar fig. Again.. I
find that Sugar figs are misunderstood. The dried fruit flavor they possess is very desirable to my palate.
First up is Zaffiro. Not only does it have a more complex honey flavor, but it also has a coconut flavored skin. There's also other figgy flavors present allowing the two profiles to meet at a nice balance.
Barbillone is the fig I think that most embodies this profile. Barbillone is a dark skinned chimera mutation of White Marseilles. What we know about White Marseilles is that it's one of the better honey figs, but that mutation brought something extra to it. A figgy flavor. Because of this, it's one of the best honey figs I've grown. Beyond the flavor of this fig I also love the texture. If a fig were a cloud, it would be this one. Here is a recent blog post I did on the variety: https://www.figboss.com/post/barbillone-fig-my-2nd-tastiest-honey-fig
LSU Purple - This is another fig bred in the LSU breeding program. It's highly underrated and has less of a honey fig feel than Barbillone or Zaffiro. You might even consider it a Sugar fig at heart, but when I think of LSU purple, I first think of the honey-like pulp when it's perfectly ripe.
Sweet Joy - This is another favorite fig of mine introduced by my friend Bass Samaan. He named this fig after his daughter, Joy. It's a very nice marshmallow like honey fig with a spicey skin.
