Mallorca

"After olive trees, fig trees (figuera) occupy the greatest surface area on the island. The climate and type of soil seem particularly propitious for this tree. It grows preferably in plains and protected valleys, on rich though not heavy soil. In general, they prefer sandstone to limestone. Fig trees don’t like dry ground, but neither too damp. In the latter case, their fruits are more watery (aigualosos) and tasteless.

Figs are gathered as they mature, meaning their harvest can span several weeks.

Obviously, the fig tree’s main product is its fruit which is eaten fresh or dried whether on the island or exported in considerable quantities. It is also used to fatten pigs, something which happens very quickly and a very valuable circumstance given that the products obtained from this animal are becoming one of the primary sources of income for the island’s economy. Also during the spread-out maturation period, figs are a daily dessert for all families.

The dried figs from Mallorca are highly prized, especially the "Bordissot blanca” and “Alagantina" varieties from Binissalem and the "Carabasseta" from Son Servera. So much so, in fact, that when men on the island want to offer a gift to someone from the peninsula, they frequently choose to send them boxes of dried figs. Another means of conserving figs is by preparing pans de figues (“fig bread”), forming a cone of pressed figs which are wrapped in palm leaves or other leaves and decorated with multicolored paper ribbons."

Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria. Las Baleares por la palabra y el grabado. Majorca: General Part. Ed. Sa Nostra, Caja de Baleares. Palma de Mallorca. 1982.

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