There are few things better than a ripe fig but picking the perfect one can be a challenge! In fact, most figs are picked unripe for the ease of distribution. When figs are unripe, they have a slightly astringent, fibrous flesh. Size isn’t an indication of ripeness or maturity. Rather, a “tree- ripe” fig is soft to the touch and sometimes have cracks, a sign that they are bursting at the seams with sugar and juice. When ripe, black figs have a purple-blue hue, green figs become a yellow chartreuse color, and brown figs become deep purple.