Okay, at some point in my life i'm going to have to buy figs --
especially if I want to make that salad with walnuts and gorgonzola.
Which means I'm going to figure out what a RIPE fig looks like. Any
tips? Should they be big or small or soft or hard or green or purple?
I don't know if they've got hundreds of varieties of them or what, but
every store I go to they look different, and it confounds me. I don't
want to buy a non-ripe one and then condemn them all as crap.

Thanks in advance!

regardless of the type, they are slightly soft to the tocuh when ripe.
Fresh figs are one of my favorite foods. This link might help sort
things out for you:
http://www.californiafigs.com/

One of my favorite salads is cucumber, tomato, fresh basil, fresh
Buffalo Mozza, avocado and fresh figs, drizzled with olive oil,
sweetened reduction of balasmic vinegar, black pepper, salt and fresh
garlic. Serve with crusty bread.

-L.

There are two types of fig that I see in the stores.... black and
"white" (my own made up terms). I think you'll have more trouble with
over ripe figs than under ripe figs because they change in color from
green to "whatever" as they ripen so you can tell visually if they are
under ripe. I've never had a problem with getting an unripe fig
(ever), but if you're unsure let it sit for a day or two to ripen.

Unripe
http://figs4fun.com/fpix/FP910-49.jpg

http://foodforest.com.au/capriFigsDormantCU.jpg
same fig as above ripe, dried, fig newton
http://i8.tinypic.com/255rtio.jpg

Ripe figs will give slightly (I suppose you could look to see if the
stem is brown) and they look like this
http://www.enjoyfoiegras.com/info/img/figs2.gif
http://waynesword.palomar.edu/images/figwa4b.gif
http://www.kqed.org/weblog/food/2006...ng-in-napa.jsp


HTH and good luck