The fig, thought to be one of man’s earliest cultivated fruits is actually an inverted flower. Prized for both their nutritional and medicinal properties, figs can be traced back through passages in the Bible and other ancient manuscripts.
So highly revered were figs that the ancient Romans considered them to be sacred while the ancient Greeks outlawed their export altogether.
There are over 150 varieties of figs with some of the most popular varieties being Black Missions, Brown Turkeys or the green Kadota fig.
While I do enjoy a good dry fig, nothing beats the unique flavor and texture of fresh figs. They are also and excellent source of vitamins C, A, manganese, potassium and dietary fiber. To benefit from a fig’s high level of antioxidants it is best to eat them when fully ripened.
One of my favorite fig recipes is grilled figs with honey ricotta. The grilling heats the figs up just enough so that they burst in your mouth. Mixed with the ricotta cheese, it’s a prefect pairing of sweet and creamy.
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Photo: © S. Wongkaew (2008) licensed to About.com, Inc
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