Literal translation
those are figs from another basket
Meaning
that's a different matter entirely
Explanation
This phrase means that one is moving from one matter to a completely different one: 'that's another story', 'that's a horse of a different color'. The literal image rests on the fig, a common and much-prized fruit in Provence, and on the basket that holds it: figs from a different basket are no longer comparable to the first ones, even if they come from the same tree or the same harvest, because each basket has its own quality, ripeness, and grading. The comparison thus marks a break in continuity between two situations that might wrongly seem alike. The word for fig, in our sources, denotes not only the fruit itself but also, by figurative extension, the lobe of the nose or dung, a sign of how vividly this term has spread through popular vocabulary. The expression belongs to everyday familiar speech and is used to close one subject and signal the start of another, with no legitimate link or comparison to what came before.