Figs just might be the weirdest fruits of all. Think about turning a cluster of flowers outside in and you’ve got a fig. Now think about the idea that during their development, figs usually trap a wasp inside the fruit. Enzymes break the wasp down so you never see it. Weird, right?
Fun Facts
- Figs are among the oldest fruits. They’re very sweet and have a soft, sticky texture.
- Figs are not really fruits, but flowers turned inside out. Inside the fruit are the beginnings of hundreds of little flowers. The sweet edible seeds are the evidence.
- Figs are very moist. Fig puree can be used to replace oil in baked goods.
- Figs ripen and slightly dry on the tree before they’re picked.
- These sweet fruits are very fragile and ripen quickly. Store them in the refrigerator or on a plate. Don’t stack them.
- The skins can be eaten along with the fruit. Figs taste delicious roasted or served with goat cheese.
- Dried figs are dates.
- There are hundreds of varieties of figs, but only a few are found in the grocery store, such as the very sweet Black Mission figs and the Adriatic figs, which have pink flesh.
- Almost all the figs eaten in the U.S. grow in California.
- Spanish explorers introduced figs to California in the 1600s. Priests at the Mission San Diego planted fig trees in 1769.
- Olympic athletes in Greece ate figs for energy. The Romans believed figs could prevent aging.
- A handful of figs has as much calcium as one-half cup milk.
Vocabulary
- Puree: mashed figs
- Fragile: easily damaged
Questions and Answers
Question: Do Fig Newtons really have figs?
Answer: Fig Newtons are made from figs. These healthy cookies have been around since 1892.
Learn More
Visit a fig orchard with Martha Stewart.
