Sticky sweet date paste has so many uses. But for some, it can be a bit too sweet. Have you ever considered fig paste as an alternative for date paste, a bulk ingredient you’ll find indispensable.  Read on to learn more and if you’re searching for date paste near me, you’ll be happy to hear we ship fig paste nationally....

Dried figs ensure that your favorite fruit is available year round. They’re great as is, but sometimes you want a softer texture or perhaps infusing aromatics into the fruit. But, how to rehydrate dried figs? And is that the same thing as poaching figs? Learn more below. How to Rehydrate Dried Figs The first thing to know is that the...

by Lorelle Del Matto, MS, RDN At Valley Fig Growers, we’re always on the lookout for interesting information and new uses for figs. Recently a research article caught our attention that explored fig extract benefits, namely, how an extract of abscisic acid made from dried figs may provide health benefits (1). The study suggests that this extract may help to...

by Lorelle Del Matto, MS, RDN, CD Protein-rich cottage cheese is having a moment right now. We recently jumped on the whipped cottage cheese trend, pairing it with Sun-Maid and Orchard Choice Figs in sweet and savory preparations, great for a mini-meal, appetizer, or snack like whipped cottage cheese dip. It’s a tasty blood sugar balancing combo for which you...

Fall for Baking Szn with us! For the second year, we’ve teamed up with our friends: C&H Sugar, Danish Creamery, Red Star Yeast, and Rodelle Vanilla on inspiration for all your fall baking. We focused on recipes that include our Sun-Maid Golden Figs, or you could use Orchard Choice Golden Figs. This fig variety has a subtly nutty flavor that’s...

Fruit to Fall for featuring Sun-Maid and Orchard Choice California Dried Figs Pumpkin patches and apple orchards bring a taste of autumn, especially when paired with dried premium Sun-Maid and Orchard Choice Figs. We’ve pulled together a cornucopia of ideas below to help bridge the shift into fall. Apples + Figs Pumpkin + Figs...

Winning Chicken Dinners Chicken is always a winner at dinner, so we’ve incorporated some of our most loved easy chicken dinners recipes. Weeknight meals require a particular kind of checklist. They need to be quick, filling, and not too many ingredients. Find easy chicken ideas for dinner that make meal planning a cinch or to cook for dinner tonight, featuring premium Sun-Maid...

End of Summer is Sweet with Sun-Maid and Orchard Choice California Dried Figs This is the time of cookouts and cookies. Ice cream and iced lattes. Hot sunny days and no-cook nights. We’ve got you covered below with ideas for sweet endings, featuring Sun-Maid and Orchard Choice Figs. ______________________________________________________________________ Go Frozen __________________ FEATURED VIDEO Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for...

Pepperoni pizza—supreme with sausage, beef, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, and peppers— these are classic toppings on American pizza oven pizza dough, but at the California Milk Advisory Board pizza competition, Peter Reinhart introduced a new classic combination that evokes the spirit of California wine country in pizza: Four Cheese Balsamic Fig Tarte Flambé Pizza. This pizza was a finalist in the...

At IFT First, the focus of innovations in food can yield interesting insights into current food trends. 2023 wasn’t our first time at IFT. Here are some of the trends in food and beverage industry we heard as visitors stopped by our Blue Ribbon Fig Ingredients booth. IFT Current Food Trends, 2023 Filled Bars Filled bars are back—think the soft,...

Cool Offwith Sun-Maid and Orchard Choice California Dried Figs If summer heat is getting you down, we’ve got you covered with ideas to cool off, all month long, featuring Sun-Maid and Orchard Choice Figs. Find sweet ways to participate in National Ice Cream Day this weekend + promo on Figlets. ___________ FEATURED VIDEO Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more...

Regular attendees of IFT in Chicago can count on learning about the science of food and discovery of technologies that will help them do their job more efficiently. What do you know about dried figs? This isn’t Valley Fig Growers first rodeo in Chicago. IFT is one of our can’t-miss conferences.  We keep coming back because our existing (and potential)...