ONE OF THE BEST things about the changing of the seasons is all the different fruits and vegetables that signal each one. Summers in Spain meant sandía in the mornings and springtime means lots of sweet, dark cherries. Right now, in early autumn, it’s apples, hanging heavy from all the trees scattered about the countryside, and my most favourite of all, fig season.
The Ficus carica or common fig (or just fig) is an Asian species of flowering plant in the mulberry family (Moraceae). Native to the Middle East and western Asia, figs have been cultivated since ancient times and are now widely grown throughout the world, both for its fruit and as an ornamental plant. Figs are high in natural sugars, minerals and soluble fibre; are rich in minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and copper; and are a good source of antioxidant vitamins A and K that contribute to health and wellness.
