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The sixth annual Fig Fest –
the California Fig Advisory Board’s annual salute to its namesake fruit
– will bring cooking demonstrations and samples that include fig-infused
ice cream to California State University, Fresno on Saturday, Aug. 8.
Hosting the Fig Fest is part of a university-fig industry partnership
aimed at helping revitalize a long-standing part of the San Joaquin
Valley agricultural scene. One phase is acquainting consumers with ways
to use figs at home.
At Fig Fest, food companies and restaurant chefs will provide samples of
preparations ranging from appetizers to desserts and raw to roasted.
Recipes will be available.
Fresno State’s student-run Dairy Processing enterprise has developed a
fig ice cream with rum flavoring for the festival.
Live music and educational activities for children are among the other
activities planned from 9 a.m. to noon in the shaded lawn area between
the Agricultural Sciences Building and Satellite Student Union on the
north end of the Maple Mall. Parking is free.
Tickets cost $10 in advance ($12 at the door) and are available from
www.CaliforniaFigs.com or 559.243.8600. Proceeds benefit the
university’s Ag One Foundation, Madera Slow Food and the Bulldog Pantry,
a student-organized food bank for Fresno State-area people in need.
An additional attraction for foodies on Saturday will be the student-run
Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market on campus at Barstow and Chestnut
avenues, about a half-mile from the Fig Fest venue. The market is open 9
a.m-6 p.m. Saturdays.
The market sells processed food products (sauces, jelly, salsa), dairy
products (ice cream, cheese, milk), meat, olive oil, wine, nuts, plants,
fresh fruits and vegetables, all grown or produced by Fresno State
Students. It’s part of the university’s hands-on training program
through the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.
Proceeds from student farm enterprises are re-invested in new equipment
and other improvements to provide state-of-the-art training to prepare
students for careers in agriculture.
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