are hun-

dreds, if

not thou-

sands of

producing

fig trees

living a

happy

existence in Southern
British Columbia.

From Saanich to
Tsawwassen, Seche
Coquitlam, and White Rock
fig trees are pampered by
avid gardeners. Their fruit
crop is delicious and unique.

Our province does not
produce figs commercially.
The climate is just too
unpredictable, not hot
cnough, long enough. B:
in some localized microcli-
mates fig trees thrive. They
are usually planted near a

REET DENS NEONATE PTZ

ig a tasty

wall, with a
southern
exposure

reflected
heat. ‘1

a chef

- ° fig tree
in vour kitchen -

should be
at feast par-
dally contained, this encour-
ages the tree to produce
more fruit.

The popular varieties:
Brown Turkey, Desert King,
White Marseilles, Kadota,
and Mission provide a great
selection for the ambitious
home horticulturist.

If you want to plant a fig
tree, consult with your local
nursery, Earlier this year we
purchased our first fig tree,
a small one, from Harris*
Nursery in Ladner.

I can hardly wait for the
first crop in a couple of

vears. A healthy fig tree
should produce two crops a
year.

For those with no fig,
trees, B.C. food distributors
imported about $950,000
worth of figs in 1999. A sig-

ant increase from the
$750 000 in 1995. This
includes fresh and dried
fruit.

One happy B.C. fig
grower is Mr. Specogna. He
lives on Vancouver Istand
near Victoria. He had a
bounteous crop of figs this
vear. His daughter Tania
wrote an e-mail to us asking
for fig recipes.
3 ry healthy,
tresh, dried or preserv
About four figs contain as
much calcium as a glass of
milk, lots of fibre and most
importantiv — they taste
wonderful!

One of the earliest fruits
cultivated by man, figs have

| Anniversary Dotlars!*

MS MOST TEVSTED

EDMONDS

been popular for thousands
of vears. Originally the:
Were native to a subtropical
belt from Turkey to north-
ern India. Today, they are
harvested around the
Mediterranean and in the
U.S. Globally, che preemi-
nent producers are the U.S.,
Turkey, Greece, and Sp
And of course our Mr.
pecogna...

his week, two fine
recipes using this historic
fruit.

Chicken Breasts with
Fig and Orange Sauce

4 boneless skinless chicken
breast halves

10-12 oz. fresh B.C. figs

% c. fresh orange juice

2 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. Dijon style mus-
tard

See Fiq-stufftu sollowing page

NEWS photo Mike Wakefieid
WHETHER you grow your own or purchase them, figs
make a delicious addition to 2 meal.

Spirat
drop
earrings.

Hand made
in 14 kt yellow goid.
$425.

While at Trio, ask about having your old gold
and gemstones refashioned into new jewellery.

“a SP mea _
frio Diamond & Gold

Showroom above Bank of Montreal: .
#26-1501 Lonsdale 986-9591

The Carrier MYP Fumace

won the Consumer's

Digest Best Buy Award. It

can save you hundreds of

doliars per year. Fera has

been - installing heating
_ systems since 1945.