Figs: A modern delicacy with ancient roots

One of the first crops ever to be cultivated, archaeologists have found fossil evidence of figs in the early Neolithic village of Gilgal in the Jordan Valley, that date back to about 9400 to 9200 BC!

Figs fuelled the first Olympians in ancient Greece, and the winners were draped in fig laurels and fruit instead of gold, silver, or bronze. Figs were treasured as a highly nutritious and delicious food, a powerful symbol, and even a medicine. Because of a chemical found in figs—psoralens—the fruit was used in ancient times to treat skin ailments, and this chemical also promotes tanning.

Where figs are grown
Once only grown in tropical and temperate regions of Asian, Middle East and the Mediterranean, commercial fig growing has spread to the New World, including California and Texas. California produces 100 per cent of America's dried figs, and 98 per cent of the fresh. The five varieties that come from California are: Mission, Calimyrna, Kadota, Adriatic, and Brown Turkey.

Most Canadians are most familiar with Mission and Calimyrna. We're also more accustomed to seeing dried or processed fig products, cookies or jam. However, fresh figs have been more readily available in our Canadian markets.

Fresh figs - worth every penny
Figs are a very soft and tender fruit and do not travel well. Also, because figs are so tender, harvesting of fresh figs is still all done by hand, hence the hefty price tag that’s often attached - $1 or more each. But if you've ever enjoyed a fresh fig, stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped with bacon or proscuitto, or drizzled with maple syrup and roasted, then you know they are truly worth it!

What is a fig, anyway?
Though we think of figs as a fruit, botanically speaking, they're actually blossoms. Yes, the fig is an inverted mass of tiny seed-bearing flowers. A small opening at the end of the fig allows pollinators, such as the fig wasp, to climb in and pollinate. That's why throughout history, the fig tree has been referred to as the tree with invisible blossoms or "demure" blossoms. But don't worry about finding a wasp in your fig. Many American commercial fig crops are self-pollinating, and those that aren't are pollinated by people.

When to find figs in Canada
Fresh California figs are available in Canada from June through September. You're most likely to see dark purple Mission figs in the grocery store. Did you know almost 55 per cent of all the fresh figs produced in California are shipped to Canada? We eat about 1.28kg per person per year, and our chefs are mad about figs! Chef Ryan Gustafson of the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto switches up his traditional sticky toffee pudding by using figs in place of dates, for a surprising crunch courtesy of hundreds of tiny seeds. He chooses figs over dates as it reminds him of the time he spent working in the Middle East, and he just prefers them for their ancient roots in cuisine.

Page 1 of 2 - See page 2 for fresh fig shopping tips and fun fig factoids.