On Monday, April 14, 2014 4:17:32 PM UTC-7, Dave Smith wrote:

>
> I can't speak about fresh figs. I have never had one and don't know what
> to look for to buy them.

My FIL tried growing one in Michigan. Apparently you can bend the trunk
down to the ground and insulate the crown, to prevent its dying in the
winter.

> I once made the mistake of buying and eating an
> under ripe persimmon. I understand that they are a special Christmas
> treat for Italians and learned the hard way that they have to be fully
> ripened. When I bit into one it had a texture like cotton batting and
> had an astringent taste, the sort of taste you might associate with a toxin.

There are two kinds of persimmons: the flat kind, and the round and pointy
kind. Both are sold firm. However, while the flat kind can be eaten firm,
as you found out the round/pointy one has to be dead ripe and soft.