Everything You Need to Know About Greek Figs

In late August, fig bushes produce fruit, although technically, a fig is an inverted flower that blooms internally. That is when recent, candy figs are able to eat, however they spoil shortly until preserved by conventional strategies like making jams, chutneys or drying them. Fig spoon sweets are created from Might’s male figs, which don’t grow to be the acquainted giant fruit.

Figs thrive within the Mediterranean local weather, with few industrial varieties. The bushes can face up to temperatures as little as minus 5 levels Celsius and require little spraying. This 12 months’s fig season was early resulting from an prolonged heatwave. We realized extra by speaking to native farmers.

What recent fig varieties can be found at markets and shops?

In Greece, three major forms of recent figs are bought. Royal figs, particularly from the Markopoulo-Vravrona area in East Attica, are a licensed Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) product. They’re giant, with skinny inexperienced pores and skin that turns purple when ripe, and have wealthy, candy flesh. Black figs from Markopoulo are smaller, with thicker pores and skin, making them extra sturdy for export. The Sultane de Marabout selection, identified regionally as Mission, has skinny pores and skin, could be very candy and is the one self-pollinating sort.

Which varieties are used for drying?

The highest varieties for drying are Kymi figs from Evia (Protected Designation of Origin [PDO] licensed), Tsapeles from Kalamata within the Peloponnese, and the Smyrna selection Taxiarchis from northern Evia.

What do we all know in regards to the Smyrna selection Taxiarchis on Evia?

The Smyrna selection Taxiarchis figs have been launched to northern Evia by Asian Minor refugees who established villages and cultivated the land. These figs are famend of their dried type, acknowledged as a PDO product often known as “Dried Taxiarchis Figs PDO.” At present, the cultivation covers 12 sq. kilometers (1,200 hectares) and produces over 8,000 tons yearly.

“The distinctive facet of those figs is their skinny pores and skin, which retains them mushy after drying, together with a excessive sugar content material of about 65%,” says Nikos Koutsogiorgakis, director of the Taxiarchis Agricultural Cooperative. They’re giant sufficient that when packed collectively, they resemble the well-known lamb offal dish “kokoretsi.” These figs are exported to France, Switzerland, the US and the United Arab Emirates in 5 and 10-kilogram packages.

Unknown fig varieties

The fig tree has a whole bunch of types, a lot of which aren’t appropriate for industrial use resulting from their sturdiness and look, however they nonetheless provide wonderful taste and sweetness. Notable lesser-known figs embody white royal figs, white “apostoliatika,” conventional Chios figs referred to as “abourkounes” and the “boukni” from Samos. The eggplant fig, generally discovered on Evia, additionally grows in backyards and gardens.

How are figs pollinated, and what does that imply for his or her high quality?

Figs are pollinated by fig wasps (Blastophaga psenes) that reside in male fig bushes, which produce flowers (which resemble fruit) however no precise fruit. The male fig seems in early April and falls off the tree in June. The wasps transfer from the male tree coated in pollen to feminine bushes, pollinating them. Unpollinated figs wither and fall, whereas pollinated ones develop giant and candy, with the primary fruit showing in August. The Mission or Sultane de Marabout selection is self-pollinating and doesn’t require the wasp.

Are figs much less chemically handled than different fruits?

Sure. Fig bushes have few pests and require minimal pesticide use, making them much less chemically handled than fruit like pistachios, peaches and apricots.

How will we select figs?

Whereas figs normally don’t want pesticides, some growers might use chemical fertilizers or spray weeds across the bushes. To keep away from this, select licensed natural figs. Figs from unirrigated bushes are sometimes sweeter resulting from their concentrated taste. Search for figs which can be mushy and seem ripe.

Are figs from Might and June edible?

Sure, however these male figs and early-season figs are decrease in high quality and fewer candy. They’re largely used for making fig spoon sweets. The very best figs ripen in August after pollination and are sweeter and of upper high quality.

How was this 12 months’s fig harvest?

This 12 months’s fig harvest was early, with figs showing about 10 days forward of schedule, and it was one of many weakest in manufacturing. Growers confronted three main challenges. First, a gentle winter led to bushes not bearing fruit. Second, extended heatwaves and drought brought about the fig wasp to crack underneath the warmth, leading to poor pollination and lower-quality figs.

A 3rd surprising issue was the black fig fly, which thrived in ultimate circumstances, quickly multiplied and attacked fig bushes, destroying a good portion of the male figs and additional hindering pollination. This example was compounded by ongoing points with the Mediterranean fruit fly.

In distinction, the self-pollinating Mission selection fared significantly better this 12 months. The continuing local weather disaster presents challenges for fig manufacturing which can be more likely to proceed within the coming years, elevating considerations for growers and prompting a shift towards self-pollinating varieties.

This text was beforehand revealed in Greek at gastronomos.gr.