Figs are vase-shaped moist & crunchy growths that develop from the flower stem of the fig tree (Ficus carica). Originating wild, small, and dry in westernmost Asia, they spread to the Mediterranean where they began to be cultivated and developed into the large, moist delicacies we're familiar with today.
While we eat the whole fig, much of it technically isn't fruit, but instead a protective covering for the true fruit – the crunchy “seeds” inside. Each fig can house up to 1,500 of these tiny fruits, which are called achenes.
Mission figs are a black variety with a sweet, musky, deep fig flavor. They’re delightfully succulent and a delicious addition to a wide range of sweet & savory dishes.
Besides being delicious, figs are also high in fiber, iron, calcium (for a fruit) and vitamin B. They also contain antioxidants.