The Fig – Sweet as Honey: Honey Baked Figs

June 12, 2007

Other than the two special trees in the middle of the Garden of Eden, the fig is the first specific tree mentioned in the Bible. It was fig leaves, which can grow a foot in length, that Adam and Eve sewed together to hide their nakedness. Some believe it was the fig that they ate, not the apple.

Figs (te’enim in Hebrew) are one of the seven species of the Promised Land listed in Deuteronomy 8:8 and, in Bible times, were as basic a food as bread and olives. They are, therefore, one of the oldest fruits cultivated by man. In fact, remnants of figs have been found in excavations of sites traced to at least 5,000 BC. There is a sacred fig tree in Sri Lanka that is 2,293 years old, the oldest living human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date

Figs are fat-free, sodium-free, and cholesterol-free. They also have higher quantities of fiber than any other dried or fresh fruit and are rich in calcium, iron, phosphorus, and potassium, with the highest overall mineral content of all common fruits. That makes them an important health food source, but they are not as popular in the West as they are in the Middle East. In ancient times, they were so esteemed by the Greeks that laws prohibited their export. To the Romans, they were a sacred fruit.

Before this Westerner came to Israel, my only exposure to figs was Fig Newton cookies! In late March this year, a group of Bridges for Peace volunteers took a tour through Neot Kedumim, a 600-acre nature park, where we were taught about a few of Israel’s 2,700 plants, flowers, and trees. While other trees were covered in blossoms, the fig tree had none, but did have tiny, green figs. Amazingly, the fig’s flowers (tens to hundreds of them) are actually inside the fig. The early or green fig is called pag in Hebrew, which is the same word used for a premature baby. Thus, the biblical village of Bethphage means “house of unripe figs.” A ripe fig is a te’enah, so Bethany was the “house of ripe figs” (Mark 11:1).

Figs “partner” well with nuts in Mediterranean desserts. In Greece and Italy, fresh or dried figs are eaten with goat cheese. Fresh figs, however, do not keep well and can be stored in the refrigerator for only two to three days. To dry them takes four to five days in the sun or 10 to12 hours in a dehydrator; then they can be stored for 6 to 8 months. We hope you will try this recipe and enjoy the taste of one of Israel’s favorite fruits.

By Charleeda Sprinkle
Assistant Editor

Honey Baked Figs

12 ripe fresh figs
8 tbsp. clear honey
8 oz. Mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, lightly toasted
(or sliced almonds)

Remove stems and cut a cross into the top of each fig and open it up. Place 3 figs in the center of a 12-in (30-cm) square of heavy foil and bring the edges up around the sides of the fruit. Repeat 3 times for the other 3 servings. Spoon the honey over the fruit. Scrunch the edges of the foil together to seal. Cook 15 minutes on a medium–low grill (or oven, 300oF – 150oC) until tender. Transfer foil to plate. Add cheese to each, sprinkle with nuts, and serve while warm. (Mascarpone substitute: 8 oz. cream cheese, 3 tbsp. sour cream, 2 tbsp. cream)

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