Let's Get Figgy

Recipes:

Figs are near the top of my list of favorite foods. I visit Sts. Mary and Martha Orthodox Monastery in Wagener, SC every September for an annual retreat. One of the first things I do after greeting the nuns is to see if there are any figs left on their trees. I have been known to pick and eat all the remaining figs.

My friend Michael took pity on my fig addiction and gave me two fig trees a couple of years ago. Last year they started bearing fruit. I was so excited, waiting in anticipation for the first ripe fruit, only to find the birds got there before me. I hope I have more luck this year or I'll be getting my figs from the farmers market again.

Continue reading for amazing fig facts. Did you know that:

Figs appear to be the earliest known cultivated fruit crop. Figs were grown some 11,400 years ago.

They have no fat and are high in nutrients. One half cup of figs gives you the same amount of calcium as a half a cup of milk.

Fig trees have no blossoms on their branches. The blossom is inside of the fruit. Many tiny flowers produce the crunchy little seeds that give figs their unique texture.

Figs naturally help hold in moisture in baked goods, keeping them fresher. They can be used to replace fat in baked goods. They also contain a natural humectant – a chemical that will extend freshness and moistness in baked products.

Click the links above for the recipes. For all of our fig recipes CLICK HERE