Farm to Table: ‘Shy’ jam

The first jam of the year from Zornitza Family Estate is now ready – made from male green baby figs.

The fig is a signature fruit of the estate. We craft two additional types of jam from it – one made with large whole green figs, and another with ripe figs that develop a marmalade-like texture and a golden hue.

According to the Bible, in the Book of Genesis, after Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they realised they were naked and felt ashamed. To cover their nakedness, they used fig leaves. From which at least a few conclusions follow: that the leaves of this tree can be very large; that the tree itself is very old – in fact, it has been known for at least five thousand years in the Middle East and Asia, and today – in all southern countries; that the fig Ficus carica is an extremely important fruit. And its varieties are almost as numerous as the primary colours: there are yellow, blue, reddish and, naturally, the most common – green. The sizes are also varied, with some reaching the size of an apple.

The fig is renowned for its nutritional properties:

– their high fibre content aids digestion and regulates blood sugar;

– they are rich in vitamins A, C and K, as well as minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iron, and antioxidants;

– they are good for the heart – some studies suggest that figs can improve cardiovascular health.