SEPTEMBER 2025 42 E veryone talks of apples trees, lemon trees and orange trees, but not often does the conversation circle back to fig trees. The origin of items growing in the garden captivates me. Once upon a time things grew silently, their voices never heard. Now there’s an in-depth appreciation for the herbs, fruits, and vegetables I have the privilege of caring for. The fruit-bearing fig tree is the only member that is cultivated for its honey-sweet fruit and is unique in the world of botany because, unlike other fruit-bearing trees, it doesn’t burst into glorious blossoms before the fruit forms. Instead, the tree produces small hard green balls (called peduncles) that look like green olives. Each peduncle grows into a pouch called the syconium. The interior is lined with hundreds of tiny flowers, which develop into drupelets. When the fig is cut open, these minute flowers make up what is known as the fig’s pulp. We catch ourselves considering the fig a fruit, but it’s actually a flower that is inverted into itself. The interesting thing is that it’s formed on branches from the year before. The tree is steeped in ancient meaning and symbolizes wisdom and success. They were so highly valued by the ancient Greeks that it was considered an honor to bestow leaves upon the winner of competitions. The early Romans fed their hogs figs to fatten them up and to sweeten the meat. Apicius, the first-century Roman cook, in his “De Re Coquinaria,” the oldest known cookbook in existence, had a recipe for ham boiled with “25 dried figs.” Even today ham and figs remain a classic combination that has survived 2,000 years of cooks. Spanish explorers first brought figs to Florida in the late 1500s with missionaries introducing figs to Parris Island, South Carolina, in 1577. In 1769 the Franciscan missionary Father Junipero Serra planted fig trees at the Mission San Diego. In 1787 Thomas Jefferson ordered cuttings from France of the Marseilles variety to be sent to Monticello. Although fig trees were planted throughout the South and continue to grow in backyards today, a commercial crop was never developed there. It’s in the rich soil and climate of California that the fig began to truly thrive in North America. The common or persistent figs, including Black Mission, Brown Turkey, Kadoka, and Adriatic, are self-pollinating while other varieties require pollination by female wasps, who enter the fig through a small hole in the stem and lay eggs inside. The wasps are about the size of a mosquito and pollinate the internal flowers. Trees grow in various shapes and sizes in warm and humid regions. There are hundreds of varieties, but not all are fruit- bearing and not all the fruit is edible by humans. The banyan tree of eastern Asia, called the “world tree” because its tall branches were said to link earth to heaven, and the bodhi tree, known as the “tree of enlightenment” because it’s where Buddha sat and studied, are both enormous fig trees. Turkey leads the world in fig production, then Greece, then California. Most are commercially dried by placing them in the sun or through a dehydration process. Only 20 percent of the harvest is sold fresh. The majority of the crop is dried whole, with a large percentage ground into paste and sold for baked goods and confections. Figs are the inspiration for perfumes, candles, on the fabric of scarves and aprons, even body lotions, bubble baths, and soaps. They come fresh or dry, in yellow or purple, from California and the Mediterranean to Middle Eastern countries. They can be found in restaurants, supermarkets, fruit stands, and sometimes even in backyards. Figs are packed with fiber which slows down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. Calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium are beneficial antioxidants as well as being a guilt-free indulgence that can be enjoyed in countless ways. I grew up knowing of figs but never acquired a taste for them. Seasonally, mom would come home from walks with pockets bulging with these gems. She urged me to try them and as much as I voiced my displeasure, the taste is remembered to this day. My grandmother knew that there was no better way to calm her grandchild than with smiles and the scent of flour and figs woven deep within the cloth of her apron, yet the magic of this fruit remained lost on me. My introduction to incredible figs came late in life. Over the past few years, the Black Mission fig tree, which was planted in memory of my mom, has produced relatively well. With warm valley temperatures we get to enjoy a small crop of large-sized fruit called the breba crop in June, followed by a more bountiful crop of medium-sized fruit from July until late August. The later crop will continue ripening as long as the weather stays warm. The fig tree has essentially become a jam tree. Purplish- black ones have greeted me with their rounded cheeks tinted with a blush of purple, while others remained greenish and firm. Hours later the colors and texture changed, some soft and fragrant. When these figs start maturing, they come abundantly. By picking one ripe fig the energy flow stops and gets diverted to those around it. If those figs are still able to grow, they will, if not, they will become sweeter. Patience is golden! Ripe figs will let you know when they’re ready by drooping slightly thereby separating more easily from the stem end of the tree. Daily my fingers gently test each fig and when the time is right, they fall into my hand with very little twisting needed. A flawless demonstration of ripeness which always made my heart skip a beat was seeing that perfect teardrop of syrup oozing from its blossom end. This is called the “eye” of the fig. When it came to rest in the palm of my hand, so heavy with sugar that its sides were literally bursting with rivulets of syrup, I knew that I was in ‘fig heaven.’ Heavy fruit hangs low, soft, and warm in the sun, and if you’ve ever been fortunate enough to grab one from a tree, have some toast nearby – maybe gorgonzola cheese, a drizzle of honey or some toasted pecans. Mature figs should be consumed immediately or at least one day after they’re picked. If collected underripe they will soften slightly when left at room temperature. Left in the refrigerator for more than two or three days and they will begin to spoil. Just before using the figs, rinse them in cool water, pat them dry with a soft towel, and trim off the stems. Figs only need to be peeled if the skin is thick and rough – remember the skin helps to hold the flesh intact. Cut fresh figs with a knife and try to avoid chopping them which will turn them to mush. Figs represent a return to family and home triggering cherished memories of conversations and activities. Strangers have driven by, observed me perched on the ladder picking fruit and have stopped in to inquire. What could be better than welcoming inquisitive souls into your garden to educate them on the wonders of life under a fig leaf? Diverting momentarily from the delightful aspects of this fruit, one mustn’t ignore the sweet aroma that emanates from its bark. The smell envelopes the senses with a fragrance that is unforgettable. Though fig season can never run long enough, the leaves remain on the tree for most of the year and you can cook with them. The beauty of the leaves comes from them being broad, green and enormous. They have a rough texture much like a cat’s tongue and range in size from 4-10 inches wide. Most leaves are large enough to wrap around portions of fish, cheese, or poultry. Simply wash them in water with a little mild soap and rinse well. Cut off the stems close to the leaf and blot away any sap. Blanch the leaves up to one minute which will make them more pliable. Remove the leaves with tongs and drain. Place 3-4 leaves smooth side down on a work surface, overlapping slightly, and place your meat of choice on top. Wrap with cooking twine and grill, steam, broil, or roast as desired. Most often five to 10 minutes is sufficient for individual portions. Like the mystery a bay leaf imparts on food, when a fig leaf is heated it invites an elusive taste of nuts, spice, a mellow smokiness and a hint of vanilla that’s clean and pleasant. With the fig harvest numbering well over 500, multiple halves got frozen on cookie sheets and placed in gallon freezer bags for later use. What felt like never-ending batches of homemade fig jam turned into the adventure of a lifetime. Making fruit jam is satisfying. I’m a big fan of dark brown sugar and bourbon in cooking and in recipes – why not blend the two? The only goal to making jam is to capture the flavor of the fruit. Some like the consistency to a bit runny, the following recipe does not use pectin but relies on the natural pectin in the figs. I choose to control the gelling by the amount of lemon juice, sugar and length of cooking time. Every fig tree has a story to tell! Thyme in My Kitchen BY SHERRY KLUSMAN thyme.in.my.kitchen INGREDIENTS: • 2 pounds ripe figs (roughly 36) stemmed and quartered • 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice • ¼ cup water • ¼ cup bourbon • 4 strips of lemon peel (minus the white pith) INSTRUCTIONS: 1. In a large, nonreactive pan, toss the fig pieces with the sugar, lemon juice, water, bourbon, and lemon peels. 2. Bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved. 3. Simmer the jam over medium-low heat, using a rubber spatula to keep the sides of the pan clean and move the mixture to avoid burning. 4. At the end of 35 minutes, remove the lemon peels and mash the figs to desired consistency. 5. Spoon the jam into four 4 oz. jars, leaving a ¼ inch of space at the top. Close the jars and let cool to room temperature. Fig jam COOKBOOK: “ROAST FIGS, SUGAR SNOW” BY DIANA HENRY NOVEL: “THE BIG HOUSE” BY GEORGE HOWE COLT SEPTEMBER RECOMMENDATIONS THE BEAUTY OF SIMPLE FOOD

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