The many reasons that I love figs:
- Kate Clarke
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
I love figs so much, that I named my business after the tree. Ficus Carica is the edible species of common fig, thus Ficus Ceramica... I love them so much that a big botanical illustration of a fig branch is my only tattoo. I have a mental map of every fig tree in every neighborhood I've ever lived in. Why do I love them so much? Where do I start!?
First, I just love picking them... In New Orleans, figs are ripening on the trees at the end of June, into the beginning of July, so we're in the thick of it now. The leaves of fig trees have a magical, green, coconutty smell, which gets stronger with the heat of the day. Figs are mostly hidden under the leaves, so to pick, you must duck under the branches, immerse yourself in the tree and the intoxicating smell of her leaves. The figs aren't all ripe at once, so you look for fruit that have changed from firm, erect, and green, to soft, sagging, and pink or mauve. The very best figs are dusky maroon, with wrinkles in the velvety skin, because these have actually reached full ripeness in the sun on the tree, and will be like warm jam inside. These are rare, because birds and other animals are also a fan of figs, and are likely, by this point, to have taken a bite. I eat these precious dark jewels on the spot - they will be mushed to oblivion if you put them in your basket to take home. If the figs have changed color to show some pink, if the stem has curved down with gravity, and if they are soft to the touch, they're ready to pull of the branch. Ripe figs will pull right off, so if you struggle to remove it, wait another day. These lighter pink figs aren't perfectly ready to eat - they're best if left to finish ripening at room temp on your counter for a day. More figs will be ripe every day!
A word of caution: figs are a type of ficus, which are natural producers of latex (rubber trees are ficus!), so if you're allergic, use some PPE. Even if you have no allergy, the tiny hairs on the leaves can irritate your skin a bit. Simply wiping off with a wet towel will relieve the itch. Worth the risk 😉
Second to my personal experience, is the biological story of figs. Ficus is one of the most diverse plant genuses, with over 800 species! They're found on every continent except Antartica. They're known as keystone species, which means they are so important to their ecosystems, as food sources, habitats, and settings for love, that if removed from the ecosystem, it will collapse. Most poetically, almost all fig species have a beautifully co-evolved species of fig wasp, that is absolutely necessary for the reproduction of the fig. Ficus have a special type of flower that is only on the inside of the unripe fruit, so these teeny wasps (not harmful to humans!!) must crawl inside the fig through the opening in the bottom, the ostiole, when the fig is unripe, and while they reproduce inside, they pollinate the interior flowers, called syconium. Here's an amazing video narrated by the illustrious Mr. Attenborough, telling the story of figs and their wasps. The figs will not ripen without their particular species of wasp, which was discovered only after European fig trees were imported to the New World. The trees grew wonderfully in California, but the figs only fell of the trees without ever ripening, which is how biologists first found the teeny fig wasp for the first time. In time, plant breeders were able to create varieties that are self-ripening, so European fig wasps are not necessary for most of the figs we eat today in the New World. Importantly, I must bust the myth that there are dead wasps inside figs: the ripe fig produces an enzyme that totally dissolves the wasp. Your figs are vegan 🙄 but I'll eat yours if you don't believe me.
Yet another reason I love figs: they pop up in human culture as interesting symbols, especially regarding knowledge. Edible figs are one of humanity's earliest cultivated crops. It's possible the fruit of knowledge that Eve ate in Eden was a fig (which makes more sense chronologically and geographically than an apple...). Fig leaves were used in the 16th century to cover the genitalia of classical statues, but this botanical choice was influenced by biblical references to Eve and Adam's first cover-ups in Genesis. Figs appear in the Bible over and over as symbols of peace and prosperity. The Bodhi Tree, under which the Buddha sat for 49 days to reach enlightenment, is a type of Ficus. Here's a link to a plethora of other historical references to figs. Even in ancient Mesoamerica, there were edible species of figs, and they used the bark of another Ficus to create paper for their written codices.
And have you noticed how erotic the fruit are?? A ripe fig hangs like a well endowed testicle. Take a bite and reveal a juicy uterine world. The ostiole on the bottom is positively sensual. I blush when I gaze upon the delicate fruit. I challenge you to find a more sexual fruit.
Not only are figs beautiful on the trees, fascinating biologically, and historically fecund, they're also so tasty and versatile! I first encountered fresh figs while working on a farm in Georgia, where we had an annual "Figstival," where everyone cooked a unique dish featuring figs. They're sweet and soft, but also subtle and crunchy, making them complimentary to many other flavors. Pair with cheeses or cured meats, top on pizza, bake into tarts, add complexity to stewed meat dishes, stuff and caramelize on an open flame, they're the perfect texture to freeze into ice cream. I recently learned about chiffonading tender fig leaves and adding them to cooking rice, to capture that delicate, je nai se quoi flavor, but I have yet to try it! The gallery below has a couple pages from my favorite cookbook, The Flavor Bible, for pairing suggestions with fresh figs.
My signature culinary use for figs are frozen figaritas! I cut the fresh figs in half and freeze them (the best way to preserve them, as significant magic is lost in dehydrating or canning). Then I combine a cup of figs, a cup of ice, 3 shots of tequila, one shot of orange liquor, and 1/2 cup of lime juice in the blender, for two tall glasses of figarita. The texture of the figs is both creamy and crunchy when blended, and its the most beautiful sunset color.
Bonus: they also are great help in keeping you regular 😝
Comments