Dried figs should have the stem removed

[DyslexicScientist]

Why the frig to dried figs have the hard stalk on them that has to be manually removed?

Surely in this day and age they can dry them without it?

Anyone from Turkey that works in a fig drier?

" the high number of wasp bodies inside"

So that's why they're so crunchy inside. thought that was the seeds

I'm with you OP - the dried figs I put into my Christmas pudding had the stalks squashed down into the body of the fecking figs as well (sold in a "wheel" so they're pretty crammed together) and I had to remove them before putting them in the hand-chopper, and because I don't want the stems in my pud!

But in all honesty it didn't take long to cut them out with a very sharp knife, so it's not that much of a problem, only a very minor irritation

Never knowingly found a wasp in mine either - but I haven't looked very hard!

Not from Turkey but we have a magnificent ancient fig tree. If you pick a fig before it is fully ripe: it will not ripen. They grow upwards from branch. They are perpendicular when nearly ripe. The moment they hang down the birds/possums/raccoons know they are ready and they must be picked that day or you lose them. You can pull them off the short stem but the top literally explodes and the fruit goes off in 24 hrs. You need to take the stem with the fig, ideally with secateurs just against the branch. They last several days if the last bit of woody stem is attached and I guess that they use this time to dry them. But I have never had any leftovers to dry. This year I have taken a couple of offspring from around the tree. They seem to be runners from the roots rather than seedling, and I hope, if I live long enough, to be able to report back to MN on how to dry figs.

crazy I had never heard that about the wasps but just google it. Wish I hadn't. I love figs but not sure I like them now!

That's interesting dratsea We have neighbours with fig trees and they have told us to help ourselves I suppose they would need quite of hot air to dry because of their wetness when they're fresh.

"need quite a 'lot' of hot air" of course

It's like some dates that I put in my smoothies, I have to remove the stones from them and also remove the stalks from the figs. It's not a big deal.

Wasps???!?!?!?

Has no one else panicked about this?

Wasps?!?!!?

Why don't we get stung?

Did you all not notice wasps...

I used to midly worry about the stem and now I'm v concerned about wasps instead!

I quite like wasps because they eat mosquitoes! As long as they don't chase people.

YABU. I just eat round the stem and have never found insects in figs.

I would worry about the wasp, the figs dissolve them

Certain types of fig are male and female and so require a special breed of wasp to pollinate the females. The female wasp crawls inside through a hole so narrow that she loses her wings in the process and becomes trapped. If the fig is a male, she lays her eggs inside. These hatch into larvae that burrow out, turn into wasps and fly off, carrying fig pollen with them. If the wasp climbs into a female fig, she pollinates it, but cannot lay her eggs and just dies alone. Luckily for us, the female fig produces an enzyme that digests this wasp completely. The crunchy bits are seeds, not wasp parts.

Clever figs!

ppeatfruit 2014 very few ripened, last year a good crop but not until late August/September, most went very quickly with dollop of Greek yogurt but dw did manage to grab a few to use in cooking. I am only guessing but think you would need radiant heat, with warm and moving air to get them to dry sufficiently for the sugar content to be high enough to prevent rot.

Oh and the wasps are tiny (like fruit flies) and I guess one of the reasons that in the UK there are usually no fruits on a solitary fig tree for many years is because there are no fig wasps. Round the base of our tree must be loads of hibernating wasps. Any entomologists able to advise?

I never knew that about the little wasps Aaaah sweet! Dyslexic and dratsea

Bit of extra protein ThumbWitches !

There was someone on the radio a while ago saying that we did not get enough insect protein in our diet these days. Too much insecticide and not enough aphids on the lettuce etc. Figs are the answer.

dratsea are you in the uk?

I've known q few people with fig trees and the odd year they ripen in the uk they are amazing. Best fruit / inverted flower ever. The ones you get from supermarkets are usually like gritty lemons.

I do think the insect content is good, I'm vegan but have no issues with small amounts of insects. I probably get a decent amount from growing my own, organic and foraging. Never been low on b12.