"$56"-*5 4r/&84 FIGS ARE DELICIOUS, NUTRITIOUS AND DESERVE MORE ATTENTION
– are actually similar to what you find on the outside of a strawberry. 8FBMMLOPXXBTQTBUUIJTUJNFPGUIF ZFBS8IFSFàHTHSPX TNBMMXBTQTDBMMFE fig wasps enter a pore at the base of the fig to pollinate it. Figs are a rare fruit that will ripen fully on the tree and partially dry there. Nutrition in figs As for nutrition, three or four figs have SPVHIMZBTNVDIàCSFBTBDVQPGDPPLFE oatmeal and the amount of calcium that is GPVOEJOBHMBTTPGNJMLmUIBUTVOVTVBMMZ high for a fruit. They are good substitutes GPSTXFFUFOFSTJOCBLJOHBOEUIFJSNPJTUVSF DPOUFOUIFMQTLFFQCBLFEHPPETTPGUBOE delicious. Fig purée can be used in some recipes as a substitute for butter as well. You can find dried figs at just about any HSPDFSZTUPSF VTVBMMZJOUJHIUMZQBDLFEDJS - DVMBSQBDLBHFT XIJMFBOVNCFSPGHSPDFSZ stores have started carrying fresh figs in flats of a dozen. Figs, both dry and fresh, are great for TOBDLTPOUIFJSPXO CVUUIFZBMTPDBOIBWF PUIFSBQQMJDBUJPOTJOZPVSLJUDIFO JODMVEJOH in salads with fennel, pomegranate and a little bit of arugula. The go well with stronger, firm cheeses too. Food writer Andrew Coppolino lives in Rockland. He is the author of “Farm to Table” and co-author of “Cooking with Shakespeare.” Follow him on Instagram @andrewcoppolino.
ANDREW COPPOLINO andrewcoppolino@gmail.com
called a “sycophant.” Millennia later, figs were introduced to, BOEXFSFHSPXJOHJO /PSUI"NFSJDBXIFO in 1769 Franciscan missionaries planted USFFTUIBUTXIZXFIBWFUIFQPQVMBSCMBDL hued “Mission” figs. As for their first wide-scale commercial BQQFBSBODF 'JH/FXUPODPPLJFTDBNF along in 1892. -PPLGPS(SFFLàHTJO4FQUFNCFSBOE FOEPG0DUPCFS XIJMF$BMJGPSOJBàHTBSSJWF in the middle to late-summer and year-round they come in from Peru and Israel. World religions and figs The fig and fig trees are mentioned in %FVUFSPOPNZJOUIF0ME5FTUBNFOUBOE .BUUIFXJOUIF/FX5FTUBNFOU BNPOH PUIFSCPPLTJOUIF#JCMF*UJTQMBVTJCMF that the so-called “apple” of the Garden PG&EFOXBTBDUVBMMZBàH Chapter 95 of the Quran is named “Al- Tin,” The Fig, which refers to regions of Palestine and Syria where prophets were raised. Buddha, it is said, gained enlightenment meditating beneath a species of fig tree. The tree is also considered sacred by many eastern religions, including Hinduism which calls it the “world tree.” Packed with achenes like a strawberry 8IBUJTBàH 'JSTU JUTBSFMBUJWFPGUIF mulberry. Unusually, fig trees do not produce CMPTTPNT TBZ MJLFBOBQQMFUSFF5IFàH is creating a “concierge service” for the region to help promote commercial and industrial land available for development in Prescott-Russell and also support present BOEGVUVSFCVTJOFTTEFWFMPQNFOU8PSL to date on this project includes a funding support application to Federal Development 0OUBSJPUPBTTJTUXJUIUIFTUSBUFHJDQMBOGPS an Agri-Food Innovation and Transformation Centre in Casselman. This project is inspired and influenced by similar centres in Louise- WJMMF 0UUBXB BOE4NJUI'BMMT5IF13$%$ JTBMTPXPSLJOHPOBOPUIFSBQQMJDBUJPOGPS senior government funding support. 5IF13$%$JTXPSLJOHXJUIUIF)BXLFT - bury Industrial Investment Association on a survey of available land for commercial and industrial development and an inventory of existing industrial-class buildings that could be available for use. 5IFTFDPOELFZQSPKFDUJTDSFBUJPOPGB central business resource service to help existing, new and potential businesses with TFSWJDFOFFET5IFXPSLPOUIJTQSPKFDU includes mapping out available industrial and commercial land available in the region and creating a list of existing businesses and services for reference. The third project focuses on promotion of existing employment services programs UPIFMQCVTJOFTTPXOFSTàOETLJMMFETUBGGGPS their operations. The PRCDC is researching available senior government financial aid programs to help set up this project. The GPVSUIQSPKFDUJTSFMBUFEUPUIJTUISPVHIXPSL between the PRCDC and post-secondary institutions on creating post-secondary busi- ness and job training programs that help meet the needs of businesses in the region.
While they seem to be gaining in popu- larity in specialty food shops and on more restaurant menus, fresh figs are a delicious and nutritious fruit that fly under the radar in comparison to their dried counterparts. Check for what is available in your area; I’ve found them at couple of grocery stores. Historically, however, figs have been around for quite some time, and they deserve more of our attention. They were critical to early human survival: the fact that they dry very well, thereby forming a source of preserved and caloric nutrition, made the fig an important food for humans in the .FEJUFSSBOFBOBOE.JEEMF&BTUUIPVTBOET of years ago. There are records of humans consuming figs dating to 9,000 B.C. and evidence of a fig “industry” in the Tigris BOE&VQISBUFTBSFBPGUIFXPSMELOPXOBT Mesopotamia. Greek athletes and Fig Newtons "ODJFOU(SFFL0MZNQJDBUIMFUFTBUFàHT as training fuel and were awarded fig-leaf crowns in victory. There is an etymological NZUIUIBUiTZLPO uUIF(SFFLXPSEGPSàH was used in the context of anyone stealing UIFCFTU(SFFLàHTUIFQFSTPOSFQPSUJOH the activity – who did so in the hopes of gaining favour with the authorities – was
Figs. (Andrew Coppolino)
itself is a sort of inverted strawberry: it’s more flower than fruit, with its flesh folded in on itself. The little seeds inside – called achenes
UCPR MAYORS THRILLED WITH PROGRESS ON ECONOMIC ACTION PLAN GREGG CHAMBERLAIN nouvelles@eap.on.ca
The mayors of Prescott-Russell are im- pressed with results so far of a five-year economic action plan for the region. “I am so proud of our region,” said Cas- selman Mayor Geneviève Lajoie, following a presentation during the September 25 session of the United Counties of Prescott- Russell council (UCPR). John Candie, executive director for the Prescott-Russell Community Development $PSQPSBUJPO 13$%$ BOE/JDIPMBT.BM - boeuf, the agency’s regional director of eco- nomic development and tourism, presented the mayors with the first quarterly report on the progress of a five-year economic development action plan partnership for the region between the PRCDC and the UCPR. The 18-page summary report highlighted progress over the past three months with àWFLFZQSPKFDUTBJNFEBUCPPTUJOH1SFTDPUU Russell’s economic development profile, encouraging investment in the region, and helping support local business and employ- ment efforts. The five-year partnership between the UCPR and the PRCDC on an economic development action plan for the region was confirmed in May this year. Malboeuf also presented a 20-page detailed report on a new tourism develop- ment plan for the region, including a video highlighting various cultural, heritage, and community features and attractions in all eight municipalities in Prescott-Russell. The first project underway as part of the five-year strategic development plan
The first quarterly report on a five-year action plan for economic development in the Prescott-Russell region received a warm welcome from the eight mayors on the United Counties of Prescott-Russell council. (File photo)
The fifth project is development of a new SFHJPOBMUPVSJTNQSPNPUJPOBOENBSLFUJOH plan for Prescott-Russell. Malboeuf’s report and video highlighted all eight municipalities and their current cultural, heritage, and rec- reational tourism attractions and events. The 13$%$JTBMTPXPSLJOHPONFFUJOHTXJUI provincial officials on available programs UPFJUIFSTVQQPSUJODSFBTFENBSLFUJOHPG Prescott-Russell as a tourism destination or help with development of existing and
new tourism features. 5IF13$%$IBTBMTPCFFOXPSLJOHXJUI Russell Township and federal and provincial government departments on financial sup- QPSUGPSUIF/VCVJME4VQFS'BDUPSZQSPKFDUJO the Village of Vars, adjacent to the township. The project represents a potential employ- ment boom for the area with more than 600 jobs through the facility itself along with spin-off employment through local support service and supply outfits
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