Figs in History – Eat ‘em Up!

Ficus Carica, the common fig, are widely known throughout the world. A member of the Moraceae family, more commonly called the Mulberry or Fig family, figs originated in Western Asia sometime around 5000 BC. One of the earliest known appearances of the fig in recorded history was in Sumer, located at the eastern end of the “Fertile Crescent” just north of the Arabian Desert, around 2700-2300 BC.

This sweet juicy fruit has played a large role in our history, making appearances in the writings of Homer, Catos conquest of Carthage and even in the death of Cleopatra (she was killed by an asp carried to her within a basket of figs).  Throughout the bible, figs have a very important role.  They are mentioned right off the bat, Adam and Eve covered themselves with the leaves of a fig tree after they ate from the tree of knowledge.  Figs were present at the famous last supper, and are often associated with abundance and fertility.

Figs were also widely used in Egypt and Greece as a food stable amongst the rich and poor alike.  For thousands of years, long before refined sweeteners, figs have been used to flavor savory and sweet dishes.  I found this simple and delightful recipe for Fig Cakes while doing my research for this post.  I can’t wait to try it!  I chose this recipe because it was something made in history, and also uses dried figs which are easier for the common person to get their hands on.  If you are lucky enough to have access to fresh figs why not give this recipe a try.  Found on http://featured.chefmom.com

Fresh Fig Salsa
Makes 2 cups

Fruit salsas in the summer can’t be beat. This salsa, made with sweet figs and mango, can elevate the taste of any grilled meats, poultry or seafood.

Ingredients:
2 cups (about 1 pound) fresh firm-ripe figs, stemmed, diced
2 fresh green onions, sliced crosswise
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
1 cup peeled and diced mango
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons grated lime peel
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and chill several hours to blend flavors. Serve with broiled or grilled fish, chicken, pork, beef or lamb or simply eat with chips for dipping.

Figs, Figs and You Guessed It, More Figs!

Figs, Figs, Figs!  People love figs!  Every time I put up an auction on eBay the figs are the first to go.  When we decided to propagate them, we had no idea they were such a popular fruit and tree.  But it makes sense, have you ever seen fresh figs at the market??  Dried, sure.  But fresh?  They don’t keep, so the only way to have one, is to grow your very own tree.

Afghanistanica fig in full leaf.

Figs grow best in a dryer warm-temperate climate, similar to the Mediterranean. If there is rain while the tree is fruiting, the fruit may split and therefore rot. But if you have the right environment, figs will grow to be anywhere from 10 to 50 feet tall (averaging around 30 feet).  The leaves are large, bright green and have 3-5 lobes. The bark is a whitish-gray color.  The branches spread wider then the tree is tall, but break easily. Often older fig trees will have large nodes from where branches have fallen off. The fig in our front yard (we are located in Zone 9) is humongous and during fruiting season we are hard pressed to pick them all.

When I was young I would climb the fig in our yard and read. Being a curious child, I would climb around and pick leaves and unripe fruit to look at the inside.This  is how I discovered the sap of a fig tree is poisonous. Nothing dangerous mind you, but it contains a milky white latex which is irritating to the skin. And if you happen to get some in your mouth if makes your tongue go numb.

Black Mission fig leaves.

The flowers are tiny and located inside of a syconium, an enlarged, fleshy, hollow receptacle with multiple ovaries on the inside surface.  Ficus Carica “Black Mission” figs are solely female and need no pollination to bear fruit.  The only other method of pollination for this inverted flower, is a tiny “fig wasp”.  This wasp and figs have had a symbiotic relationship for going on 80 million years.  When the fruit is ripe it will be a muddled brown color with bright redish-pink seeds inside. The distinct nutty taste often associated with figs is only present if the seeds were pollinated. It is important to note, figs will not bear fruit unless in full sun the majority of the day. It is also important to note, the trees canopy will shade out anything growing beneath. Our fig is next to our garden, and every year must be severely cut back to allow sun to our vegetable beds.  In addition, the root mass is extremely dense.  The veggie bed closest to our fig has been forfeited for the sake of the fruit.

Although this tree takes up a massive amount of space when given the chance, and makes a mess when the leaves drop each winter, the delicious, abundant and beautiful fruit is well worth it. Some days I look out the window and think of all the other things I could do with the space taken up by our fig, yet year after year it remains standing. I believe it’s well worth the sacrifice.

Turkish fig leaf and branch.