Figs

For thousand of years, figs have not only nourished us, but has intertwined with the sacred, mythological, and even philosophical traditions of humanity. While fresh figs are absolutely delicious, fermenting them provides a complex gamut of flavors and is a great way to preserve them without using sugar. Click HERE for the recipe PLUS a cocktail concoction using the fermented fig juice. But before you head over to the recipe page, please read these fun fig facts:

The edible part of the fig tree is actually not a real fruit, and not quite a flower. It's known as a syconium, or a false fruit. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a syconium is:
the multiple fleshy fruit of a fig in which the ovaries are borne within an enlarged succulent concave or hollow receptacle.
Ancient drawings of figs have been found in the Pyramid of Giza.
It was grown in the Hanging Gardens of Nebuchadnezzar.
The fig is the first fruit mentioned in the Torah, and is eaten on the Jewish holiday of Tu b’Shevat.
It's mentioned many times in the Bible; the first appearance being in Genesis. Adam and Eve used fig leaves to clothe themselves after the Fall.
(Some biblical scholars consider the fig to be the real forbidden fruit, not the apple.)
Siddhartha Gautama attained complete Enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree, which is an ancient fig tree known as ficus religiosa.
Pliny of Rome (32 AD – 79 AD) said, “Figs are restorative. They are the best food that can be eaten by those who are brought low by fatigue, long sickness and are on the way to recovery, including sexual recovery. They increase the strength of young people, preserve the elderly in better health and make them look younger with fewer wrinkles.”
Both fresh and dried figs contain good levels of the B-vitamins.
Dried figs are an excellent source of calcium, copper, potassium, manganese, iron, selenium, and zinc.
Figs are a great source of fiber, which helps with regularity and detoxification.
Fresh figs, especially black mission figs, are packed with antioxidants.
The milky juice of the freshly broken stalk is a topical remedy for warts and blisters.

Best,
Karen
Chief Fermentation Officer

2 Responses

Karen

March 06, 2018

Hello Steff,
Seems like the figs you bought were preserved in sugar or vinegar?
Kraut Source is used for at home lacto-fermentation.
You should contact the business that made your fig preserve for the best answer.
Best,
Karen
Chief Fermentation Officer
Kraut Source

Steff Hughes

March 04, 2018

Hi
I recently bought a jar of preserved figs. They didn’t seem as sweet as usual but are lovely and fresh tasting.
I kept the jar out of the fridge though and today I noticed that there’s a foamy bubbly layer on top and it smells yeasty and they taste slightly alcoholic. I Googled to see if they’re still edible and came across your post for fermenting figs.
Seeing as I don’t know what method was used when first preparing them I’m unsure of whether they’ve fermented correctly.
Is there anything I should look out for?

Comments will be approved before showing up.