Figs (ficus carica) are among the juiciest, sweetest and most fragrant fruits of late summer. They also have a rich history – mentioned in the Bible, they were said to grow in the Garden of Eden and their leaves were allegedly used to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness.
The fig is believed to have originated in western Asia before being cultivated throughout the Mediterranean and eventually the world.
Figs are bell-shaped with slightly wrinkled, leathery skin. They can be brown, purple, green, yellow or black, and vary in size. Their high sugar content puts figs among the sweetest of fruits. Each fig ‘fruit’ is actually an enclosed flower head containing many tiny flowers and seeds.
Buying
Choose clean, dry figs with thin, unblemished skin. A fig’s skin colour makes little difference to its taste; it will range from palest green to deep purple. Figs should be soft and yielding when gently squeezed, but still hold their shape. Ripe figs are very delicate, so take care not to squash them when packing them for the trip home.
Storage
Keeping ripe figs cold will slow deterioration. If you’re not using them immediately, store figs in a plastic bag in the coldest part of the fridge for up to two days. Chilling can spoil the flavour, so remove figs from the fridge to serve at room temperature. Under-ripe figs can be kept at room temperature for one or two days until the flesh softens.
Preparation
Fresh figs are usually eaten raw. They taste best eaten straight off the tree, ideally still warm from the sun. The entire fig is edible, from the thin skin to the red or purplish flesh and the myriad tiny seeds, but they can be peeled if you wish. Always cut off the stem. Wash the figs and gently pat dry to serve whole.
Nutrition
Figs contain small amounts of potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamin B6, while the many small edible seeds and edible skin means high fibre content. The red-purple skin indicates levels of protective antioxidant phytochemicals.
Varieties
Figs are classified by colour – white, black or red. These are the more popular varieties:
Black genoa figs have a dark purple skin, white flesh and white and red seeds.
Adriatic figs are known for their pronounced flavour, especially when dried.
Brown Turkey figs are medium to large with a purplish-brown skin and sweet, juicy pulp.
Mission figs are purplish-black with red flesh. They are full-flavoured, with a moist and chewy texture, best eaten fresh.
Calimyrna figs are large, with green skin and white flesh. They have a desirable, honey/nut-like flavour.
Kadota figs are medium-sized with a yellowish-green thick skin. The sweet, white to amber-pink pulp has only a few
Cooking
Make a mouthwatering salad by chopping fresh figs and tossing with shredded rocket leaves, crumbled goat’s cheese and toasted walnuts.
Blend spreadable cream cheese with finely chopped macadamia nuts and a little honey. Spread over thinly sliced prosciutto and wrap around fresh fig halves. Serve.
Thickly slice figs and place in a heatproof baking dish. Drizzle with vanilla custard to just cover. Sprinkle with raw sugar and ground cinnamon. Cook under a hot grill until just warm. Serve immediately.
FAQs
If a female burrow into a female fig, she cannot lay her eggs and dies of starvation. However, she does bring pollen into the internal flowers of the fig, pollinating it. So yes, there is at least one dead wasp inside the figs that we like to eat. This applies to southern figs.
What's the deal with figs and wasps? ›
Fig & Fig Wasp Mutualism
When the female flowers inside the immature fruit are ready for pollination the fig emits an enticing aroma that attracts only female wasps of the specific type for that tree. The wasp finds the fig by its scent and struggles to get inside through the small opening at the end of the fig.
How many figs to eat per day? ›
When it comes to raw fruit, you can easily have 2-3 figs in a day. If you are having dried figs, stick to 3 figs and do not have them without soaking overnight. Our body can absorb the nutrients and digest some dried fruits and nuts in a better way when they are soaked well.
How can you tell if a fig is ripe? ›
A ripe fig will be soft to the touch when gently squeezed. Unripe figs are still firm. This is because the ripening process has not yet taken place, and the juices and sugars that are produced as the fruit ripens are not fully present.
Why are nurses boycott figs? ›
Agnieszka Solberg, a radiologist and internal medicine physician in Bismark, North Dakota, has called for a boycott of the brand for its depiction of women and DOs. “The 'silly and dumb, but sexy' look in ads and other media contributes to harmful gender stereotypes,” she told CNN.
Why are figs scrubs controversial? ›
(SPI), a Chatsworth-based competitor that does business as Careismatic Brands, alleges FIGS co-founders Trina Spear and Heather Hasson violated advertising regulations by falsely claiming their scrubs are made to protect the wearer from bacteria or disease through the use of a chemical called Silvadur.
Do all figs have wasps inside? ›
Wasps pollinate the majority of commercially grown figs. Yes, edible figs do include at least one dead female wasp. However, it is not quite the urban legend that fruits contain insect meat. When a female wasp dies within an edible fig, an enzyme known as ficin in the fig breaks down her carcass into protein.
Which figs don't have wasps? ›
Some Figs Don't Need Wasps
“Over millennia, farmers have developed thousands of varieties of this species. Many of these do not need to be pollinated to produce tasty figs,” Shanahan said. The varieties of figs that don't require pollination are brown turkey, celeste, and mission.
Why are figs not vegan? ›
Why can't vegans eat figs? Some vegans see the mutual relationship between wasps and figs as animal exploitation and ultimately animal consumption. They, therefore, avoid figs entirely. Most vegans, however, consider figs to be vegan and consume them.
Why figs should be soaked before eating? ›
We just mentioned that figs are rich in dietary fiber. Soaking them in water overnight may boost their fiber content even more. This may help improve digestion and curb the risk of constipation.
It might surprise you to know that ounce-for-ounce figs have more potassium than bananas or oranges, fruits often recommended as good sources of potassium. So 100g of figs provide 609mg potassium, bananas provide 257mg and oranges provide 181mg. If you look at common serving sizes, it changes a little.
Can you eat fig skin? ›
Fresh figs are usually eaten raw. They taste best eaten straight off the tree, ideally still warm from the sun. The entire fig is edible, from the thin skin to the red or purplish flesh and the myriad tiny seeds, but they can be peeled if you wish.
What month are figs ripe? ›
Fresh figs are not tasty until soft and ripe. Therefore, pick them just as the fruit begins to soften. The fig varieties common to Texas usually ripen their fruit during July or August but because of winter freezes, fruit harvest can be delayed until new growth is forced out.
Can you freeze figs? ›
How Does Freezing Affect Figs? Overall, figs freeze well. However, like many other fruits, once figs have been frozen, their texture will change from plump to mushy when thawed. This happens because the water inside figs expands into ice crystals during the freezing process, causing cell walls to break down.
When to pick figs from a fig tree? ›
Fig ripeness cues include sight, touch, and taste. By sight, ripe figs tend to droop while hanging on the tree or bush, have a larger distinguishable size than the immature green fruit, and with the exception of a few varieties have a change in color. By touch, ripe figs should be soft when gently squeezed.
What is the mystery behind the fig tree? ›
The image is taken from the Old Testament symbol of the fig tree representing Israel, and the cursing of the fig tree in Mark and Matthew and the parallel story in Luke are thus symbolically directed against the Jews, who have not accepted Jesus as Messiah.
Why don't we eat male figs? ›
Male caprifigs contain the pollen needed to ripen female figs. There are several varieties of male caprifigs, but none of them bear edible fruit. It is inside these male, inedible figs that pollinator wasps lay their eggs and collect the pollen they will use to ripen edible female figs.
Did Jesus say not to eat figs? ›
Matthew 21:18-19
18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
What you never wanted to know about figs? ›
Luscious sweet figs are among the oldest cultivated fruits, prized for their honeyed flavor and soft, jammy texture. But did you know that figs are technically not fruits but inverted flowers, some of which are pollinated by wasps in an amazing symbiotic relationship?
