Probably the world's oldest fruit, Ficus carica, according to biblical references. Figs were said to grow in the Garden of Eden, and when Adam ate the apple and discovered his nakedness, it took a handy fig leaf to restore his dignity. Historians tell us that figs most likely existed in the Stone Age. In fact, figs probably originated in Asia Minor, although the oldest fig tree in the world is reputed to be growing in Palermo, Sicily. The ancient Greeks and Romans certainly enjoyed figs, which are still as highly prized today. During some periods of history, the leaf of the fig tree seems to have been more important than the fruit. And during the Dark Ages, artistic censors were kept busy protecting the public by strategic placement of fig leaves on the scandalously naked gods and goddesses. Both the Greeks and the Romans appreciated the fruit itself. The Greeks valued it so highly that Solon, the ruler of Attica, forbade its export. Theophrastus, an ancient Greek botanist, even describes caprification, the process used to "set" the fruit, or cut the flow of sap to the cluster, so that it matures on the tree, a technique still used today.
Botanically speaking, a fig is not a fruit, but simply a sweet receptacle designed to hold the seeds, or "fruits", inside. Since the seeds can't be pollinated, because they're hiding protectively inside the fruit, the tree does not blossom. Cultivated throughout the world, fig trees flourish in arid, semi-desert regions and are harvested all year long. Figs contain the chemical ficin, a proteolytic enzyme capable of breaking down proteins with an action similar to that of papain (found in papayas) or bromelain (found in pineapples). Ficin is effective in temperatures ranging from 140° to 160°F (60° to 70°C), the temperature range for simmering stews. If fresh figs are added to the stew, they will help tenderize the meat and impart excellent flavor. Canned figs will not work, because they're heated to very high temperatures during the sterilization process. Figs are also used to ease constipation. Figs can be bought fresh, dried or canned, and are often used in preserves. See also breba.
