Figs, a red passion that has more names than days it is eaten

"Every day in the garden I come in the morning"
next to the fountain, with lady's neck figs.
And the air kisses me, without any noise or flame,
and now I take a fig, now I take a sip."

'The tasty fruits'. Josep Carner (1928)

Each land makes the fig. This is the invented phrase (inspired by the phrase each land makes its own war), which fits like a glove to explain the thousand and one varieties of figs from the Països Catalans. There are three very notable ones. The first is the higaflor, the early fig tree. Some also call it bacoraNot all fig varieties bear fig flowers, and when they do, it's usually around July. The second is the white one, which has green skin, is shaped like a spinning top, and is usually eaten whole. And the third, the most prized, the one that reminds us it's September, is the neck of a lady, the first lady. It's plump and fleshy. It gets its name from the shape of its neck, by which it hangs from the fig tree. It's the most prominent one in the town of Alguaire. And it can have either black or white skin. Perhaps because we have such a variety of figs, we have such a rich paremiology, and there are as many idioms about figs as there are personal moods. Right now, we're not weighing figs because we're not into figs but rather raisins, walnuts, and figs, which are good friends. Enjoy your meal!

Properties

Figs are a highly nutritious food, providing readily available calcium and fiber, which is very beneficial for intestinal health. The calcium that figs provide to the body is even more important when they are dried, that is, when they lose their water and become nuts.

How to consume them

Fresh

This is a delicate fruit that needs to be eaten quickly. It won't keep for more than three days in the refrigerator, but it's advisable to take it out a little earlier to fully enjoy its flavor. Add it to salads, eat it with ham, or grill it, turning it over for a few seconds.

Cooked

Since they don't last long when fresh, it's a good idea to make jam, prepare a chutney or preserve them in syrup.

Dry

Once dried, figs can be stored for up to a year (in the refrigerator). However, keep in mind that the loss of water increases the concentration of sugars and plant fiber, making them more caloric than fresh figs.

Some sayings

• To be good, a fig must have three signs: cracked, dry, and pecked by sparrows.
• Withered like a fig
• Weigh figs
• Half a fig, half a grape
• His legs make him a fig
• These are figs from a different bag.
• It rains figs at a good time
• Be a figaflor
• Giving figs for lanterns
• Get off the fig tree
• For Saint Magdalene, the fig tree is full
• On Saint Michael's Day, figs are honey

Some varieties

Collected by Jordi Font Negre on the website galgoni.com