A Fig Scoop-
You’d be mad not to have sampled such a celebrity in the summer of Eressos.
You’d be lost if you haven’t seen one, got on the wrong bus?
But there were many more once upon a time...
Fig cultivation is the first known example of agriculture, preceding wheat, barley, and legume. The green plains you see today were once bombarded with fruit trees, particularly the fig. And in the harbour’s heyday as early as 6th century BC it was one of the main productions and exports of the land.
Like the vine and the olive, the mighty fig is regarded as one of the staples of life and a symbol of abundance and prosperity. The Egyptians considered them a delicacy and the Romans believed them to be anti-aging, giving a whole new meaning to
"Live long and prosper"
Figs are actually inverted flowers
This versatile fake-fruit has health benefits head to toe, from the rich fibre content to boost digestion and control blood sugar levels, to leaving your hair silky smooth and your skin supple and firm. Warts n’ all, it conquers all. The only dark side is the sap of the tree can be a slight irritant to the skin.
Oh and figs ingest a wasp to self-pollinate. Nice...
Figs were the first Olympic medal
And this nutritional powerhouse is as multi-talented in the kitchen as it is in your lotions. An endless list invades your screen when searching ‘fig recipes’. From chutneys to cakes, ice cream to cookies, even fancy coulis. Baked with cheese, tossed in a salad, or live dangerously and roast with your Sunday joint. You can use the puree to replace fat in baked goods, and as an ingredient also holds in the moisture, naturally keeping them fresher. But of course, the best way to enjoy the fig is picked fresh from the tree, or the simple traditional drying method. Scroll down to be spoiled with Despina’s Delights – a serving of traditional Greek family recipes, starting with a fig special, an easy yet mouth-watering method not even the ‘burnt boiled egg brigade’ could fail.
And the best fact of them all?
There’s no fat!
The burning of the sand between your toes as you hop-scotch across the beach to cooler ground, the salt crystals sparkling on the lobster red streaks across your back, the syrupy sweetness of the fruit of heaven staining your face as you’re trying to look refined.
The Ficus Carica - A pinnacle of summer sensations.
Post by Nikki Franks Falloon
Introducing...
Despina's Delights
A serving of traditional Greek family recipes, brought to you by a local legend.
Almond Baked Figs
Ingredients
-Figs
-Almonds
-A few sprigs of fresh basil and rosemary
(Figs and almonds are ready to harvest at roughly the same time, late summer to early autumn.) Get foraging!
Method
1. Wait for the figs to fall off the trees. Freshly picked figs will not work as they’re not ripe and tasty enough. Pick them off the ground and then place them on a hard surface in direct sunlight to dry for a few days until golden brown all over, bear in mind to collect at night to avoid the humidity.
2. Get a big pot of water and bring to the boil. Add your herbs then quickly blanch your figs for 10 seconds. This is to plump them up slightly and remove any unwanted visitors. Remove then pat dry with a cloth.
3. Return to the sun for one more day.
4. Set the oven to 180℃/Gas mark 4. Put an almond in each fig and then place on baking paper in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.
Voila!
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