The fig is native to an area stretching from Turkey to northern India.
Figs usually crop twice in a season although some varieties can crop throughout the season. The first crop in summer is generally used for fresh fruit and the second crop for drying. As the fruit doesn't continue to ripen once picked, they must be allowed to fully ripen on the tree for optimum flavor.
When dried, figs become more flattened. They lose their pear-like shape and become rounded. Depending on their quality, they are either naturally dried or process dried. Natural-dried figs are threaded onto cords or into rings and dried in the sun or by machine. During the drying the fruit exudes a glucose which crystallizes on the surface giving it a dull appearance. Process-dried figs undergo several procedures, namely drying, immersion in salt water, pressing and then drying again. The pressing gives the figs a shiny appearance.
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