F Is For Figs

There is something almost indulgent about the fig, even before it has been touched by a knife. Slice one open and the reveal never quite loses its charm, a jewelled interior of deep pink flesh scattered with tiny edible seeds, sweet, delicate and faintly reminiscent of honey. Few fruits manage to feel quite so luxurious while remaining, at heart, wonderfully simple.

The fig has a claim to being one of the very first fruits cultivated by humankind, with evidence of its domestication stretching back some eleven thousand years to the Jordan Valley, predating even wheat and barley in some accounts. It flourished across the ancient Mediterranean and Middle East, prized by the Greeks and Romans alike, and it appears throughout religious and literary texts as a symbol of abundance and fertility. Its long association with warmth and sunshine has meant that, in Britain, the fig has traditionally carried an air of the exotic, though a good crop grown against a sheltered south facing wall has long proven that this reputation is not entirely deserved.

A Fruit Of Two Seasons

Figs are unusual among fruit in that a single tree can, in the right climate, produce two distinct crops each year, an early summer harvest known as the breba crop, followed by a more abundant main crop later in the season. This second harvest tends to produce the sweeter, more richly flavoured fruit that most cooks and eaters associate with a truly good fig, its flesh softening and its sugars concentrating as the season progresses.

What makes the fig so appealing in the kitchen is its remarkable ability to sit comfortably between sweet and savoury. Fresh, at the height of ripeness, it needs little more than a drizzle of honey and a scattering of nuts to shine as a simple dessert, yet that same sweetness makes it an equally natural partner for salty, savoury ingredients such as prosciutto, blue cheese or goats cheese, where the contrast between rich sweetness and sharp saltiness creates something genuinely memorable.

Dried figs, meanwhile, offer an entirely different but equally valuable character. Concentrated and chewy, with an intensified sweetness not unlike that of dates, they have long been used in baking and in both sweet and savoury cooking across the Mediterranean and Middle East, adding depth to stews, richness to cakes and a natural sweetness that requires no additional sugar.

Fun Facts About Figs

• What is commonly thought of as the fig fruit is technically an inverted flower, with the tiny blooms developing entirely inside what appears to be the fruit itself.

  
  

• Figs rely on a remarkably specific relationship with a particular species of tiny wasp for pollination, one of the most intricate examples of mutual dependency found in the natural world.

  
  

• Dried figs have been found among the provisions of ancient Egyptian tombs, reflecting both their nutritional value and their long shelf life.

  
  

• Turkey is currently the world's largest producer of figs, with much of the global dried fig supply originating from its Aegean region.

Using Figs In The Kitchen

1. Halve fresh figs and grill lightly with a drizzle of honey, then serve with soft cheese and toasted walnuts.

   
   

2. Wrap whole fresh figs in a thin slice of prosciutto for a simple, elegant starter that needs no further embellishment.

   
   

3. Simmer dried figs with red wine and warming spices to create a rich compote for serving alongside roasted meats or cheese.

   
   

4. Chop dried figs into cakes, breads or flapjacks for natural sweetness and a pleasingly chewy texture.

The fig manages to be both ancient and effortlessly elegant, a fruit that has charmed cooks and eaters for thousands of years without ever needing to try particularly hard.

Whether fresh or dried, sweet or savoury, it remains one of the most quietly luxurious ingredients a kitchen can offer.