Sweet and utterly delicious, figs are packed with beneficial properties that have been known since antiquity. Let's make sure they have a place on our September table.
September is no longer the month of primaticci, or fioroni — produced from buds of the previous year, which ripen in June and July; it is the month of the forniti, born from buds of the current year, which ripen from August to September; in autumn it will be the turn of the tardivi, cratiri and cimaruolo. All figs, excellent, flavoursome and nutrient-rich. Infructescences of the Ficus tree that reach maturity at different times of the year.
The fig contains a great deal of water (more than 80 per cent), soluble carbohydrates (approximately 11 g per 100 g) and a little fibre (2 g per 100 g of flesh). It is low in calories (47 kcal per 100 g) and contains vitamins A and C, potassium and phosphorus.
It is a mineralising, energising and restorative fruit. Science has recently confirmed its anti-cancer virtues — properties that folk tradition has always attributed to it. Even its milk (the latex of the unripe fig) is a marvel of nature: rich in enzymes, it was used in ancient times to make game more digestible and in cheese-making, to curdle milk.
The Ficus tree is cultivated throughout the Mediterranean countries and in the warmer regions of America. It adapts well to any type of soil, provided it is not too compact. In Italy it is widespread across the whole peninsula, particularly in the South and Centre, and in the North only where the climate is milder. The production of dried figs is concentrated in Cilento and Calabria, as well as in Sicily and Puglia.