Figs are fruits with a thin leathery skin. The fleshy flesh of the fig contains small edible seeds and is deliciously soft and sweet in taste. Fresh figs are also increasingly available in supermarkets, grocery stores and markets.
Figs are native to Asia Minor. Today the fig is imported mainly from Italy, Greece, France, Turkey and Israel. The fig grows on a small tree with graceful leaves, which needs a lot of sun. The fig is the fruit of trees of the genus Ficus. Known is the fruit of the fig tree (Ficus carica). It is one of the oldest known fruits.
As early as around 9000 B.C., figs were cultivated in an early Neolithic village in the Jordan Valley, Today, they also grow widely in southern European countries, such as France and Greece. The fruits are green-yellow or blue-violet in color. The flesh is white-pink to dark red in color. Figs are false fruits: formed from the flower base and flower. Both the kernels and the flesh are edible.
The fig is a member of the fiscus family and has tremendous vigor. The improved varieties are grafted onto a wild rootstock and then pruned into a shape that the grower likes. After about two to three years, the fig tree comes into production and this tree can then last for decades. From flower to ripe fruit takes up to three months. The fruits are picked by hand and carefully placed in baskets. These go to a warehouse, where they are selected for quality, ripeness and size.
The fig is found in Mediterranean areas, but also in countries like South Africa and Brazil.
Israeli figs are grown in different areas of Israel, most around the Sea of Galilee. The climate of the growing areas in Israel, with its warm temperatures and low rainfall, is ideal for fig production.
Figs are mainly eaten raw or candied (preserved in sugar). The fruit can also be made into jam. Fresh figs can be peeled or eaten whole.
This fruit is quite dry and sweet in taste. The edible skin is brown-green. The color of the flesh is pink with yellow. The fruit can be eaten whole, but the flesh can also be spooned out of the skin. The sweet taste of the fig is perfect for in salads. In addition, it is delicious in banana bread and a surprisingly good combination with eggplant.
Figs have a somewhat laxative effect, do not have a high nutritional value considering they only contain 40 kcal (when eaten raw), but are high in vitamins and dietary fiber. For these reasons, they are considered a healthy food.