It may be more than 1,000 years ago that mankind discovered that the fig is edible. Figs are members of the mulberry family; they were first grown in the Middle East and were later transported to Mediterranean areas. Actually, the fig is not a fruit but a flower and the little pits are the fruits. Figs can be eaten in sweet dishes but also in savory combinations with cheese and ham, for instance; they have an enzyme that softens meat. Figs can be dried as well. You should try to buy the figs as ripe as possible, because they do not ripen very well as soon as they are picked from the tree.