We know you never dared to ask, so here goes: brevas and figs come from the same tree. Brevas are the first harvest of the year (December-January) and are generally a denser, fleshier fruit. Figs are the subsequent harvest.
At Doblevalle, we're preparing for the breva harvest , which in Chile occurs in December. Botanically, it's not a different fruit from the fig, but it's defined by a different biological production cycle. The first harvest of the year is of the Black Mission variety (which has two harvests). Its arrival marks the beginning of the season, and although its flavor profile is less intense than that of the fig that will ripen in March, its historical and commercial value lies precisely in its earliness, size, and firmness, offering a high-quality product for the early summer fresh market.
The Biferous Mechanism
The phenomenon of the breba fig is the result of how the fig tree manages its growing seasons. These fruits are essentially figs that began their development at the end of the previous autumn.
They form on old wood (last year's branches) and enter a dormant state during winter. With the arrival of spring, the plant reactivates the growth of these existing fruits, giving them a head start that allows them to ripen in early summer, well before the main harvest.
The main crop, the Black Mission fig itself, will form on new wood (the shoots generated during the current season) and will ripen with the accumulated heat of late summer, generally between March and May.
Botany: The Fig as an Inverted Flower
It is a common technical error to refer to the fig as a fruit . Botanically, the fig is not a fruit, but an infructescence, a specialized floral structure known as a syconium .
A syconium is a fleshy, pear-shaped receptacle that has folded in on itself to enclose hundreds of tiny flowers inside. What we see as the fig's pulp are, in fact, the flowers. If the fig is pollinated, each of these flowers produces an achene (the small, crunchy seed), which is the true fruit.
Therefore, when you eat a breva or a fig, you are eating a complex floral structure, not a simple fruit derived from a single flower , like a plum or a peach.
A breva is different from a fig.
There are clear morphological and organoleptic differences between the two harvests of the same plant.
In the Black Mission variety, the breva fig is noticeably larger than the main crop fig . It has a pear-shaped form with a characteristic dark purple, almost black, skin. Its flesh is a deep pink color.
In terms of flavor, the breva will always be less sweet than the main harvest fig . Its development occurs under cooler temperatures and with fewer hours of sunshine, resulting in a lower concentration of sugars and a slightly more noticeable acidity.
The Parthenocarpy Factor
A crucial factor in understanding the commercial success of Black Mission is its reproductive system. This variety is parthenocarpy, meaning it is self-fertile .
It does not require pollination to set fruit. This is a key agronomic advantage, as it eliminates dependence on the fig wasp ( Blastophaga psenes ). The Black Mission variety produces both its breba and fig varieties without fertilization , ensuring a reliable harvest.
Historical and Cultural Mentions
While the fig tree (Ficus carica) is generally revered in many cultures, the distinction of the breva —the first fruit— is particularly notable in texts where agriculture was central.
The most direct and specific reference to the breva fig is found in biblical texts . In Hebrew, the term bikkurah (בִּכּוּרָה), which literally means "first fruits" or "first ripe fruit," is used explicitly for the breva fig. As the first sweet fruit available after winter, it was considered a luxury and a symbol of desire . Prophets such as Isaiah and Jeremiah use it metaphorically to describe something of exceptional value, something eagerly devoured as soon as it is discovered.
The Roman world was also well aware of this double harvest. Although their founding mythology centered on the fig tree (the Ficus Ruminalis that shaded Romulus and Remus), their agronomists were precise. Authors such as Pliny the Elder and Columella documented the existence of bifera (two-fruiting) fig trees. They referred to these first fruits with terms like ficus praecoqua (early figs), highlighting their precocity and distinguishing them from the main harvest at the end of summer.
Other traditions, such as Islam, venerate the fig in its entirety . The Quran has a whole chapter called "At-Tin" (The Fig), which swears by this plant alongside the olive tree. This is a general reference to the sacred value of Ficus carica as a divine provision, rather than an agronomic distinction between the breba fig and the fig.
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