For many of us, our first introduction to figs came from eating
Fig Newtons. If you’ve never actually seen a fresh fig, this
fruit — which is actually a flower inverted into itself — has a
smooth outer skin, a soft, chewy interior, and a wonderful sweet
flavor that complements many foods. Figs have a soft flesh with
numerous edible tiny seeds. Figs, one of the oldest fruits known
to man, are good raw or cooked. They were thought to be sacred
to ancient civilizations. Before the invention of refined
sugars, figs were used as a sweetener. It is believed that
Spanish missionaries brought the fig to America in 1520, leading
to the name the “mission” fig. Figs grow well in warm climates
and do best in Mediterranean climates, with hot, dry summers and
cool, wet winters. There are many varieties of figs, usually
available fresh in stores from May through December. Dried figs
are available year-round. Fresh figs are perishable and need to
be refrigerated. The skin is fragile and will often have scars
from leaves that