“Then Isiah said. Take a cake of figs.” Kings 20.7

Although fig rolls originated in Egypt, created by wasp haters, slowly by centuries and miles they became a classic biscuit and made their way to the Industrial North of England – Sheffield. How did this happen?

How could the fruit of a plant that had its very roots in the Garden of Eden travel so far from home and thrive in what was once a phosphorus smog filled city called Sheffield? A place described by George Orwell in 1936 – “And the stench! If at rare moments, you stop smelling sulphur it is because you have begun smelling gas. Even the shallow river that runs through the town is-usually bright yellow with some chemical or other. Once I halted in the street and counted the factory chimneys, I could see;” 

The fruit of a fig has its very own insect to pollenate the fruits. Unsurprisingly they are called fig wasps. And each variety of fig has its own special little wasp. There are nine hundred species of figs and so of course nature dictates there must then be nine hundred species of fig wasps.

Figs or fig trees are mentioned in the Bible almost two hundred times. Even Jesus mentions them. It makes sense that the tree would travel through the desert with the Israelites and thrive in Egypt.

As previously mentioned, it was here in Egypt that the wasp haters invented fig rolls. Hieroglyphics in the tombs in the Valley of the Kings show the harvesting of figs and it is common for dried figs to be among the items archaeologists find on their digs. Tutankhamun’s rolls would be different from todays; the process would be similar. The preserved figs would have been hand rolled with honey and spices in a floury dough and baked.

How did the fruit get to Britain, well as usual via the Romans. But it was from figs already pollinated so the assumption is there were no fig wasps in the country back then and therefore no cultivated trees. In 1552 Cardinal Pole -later to become the Archbishop of Canterbury planted a fig tree in the garden of Lambeth Palace, brought back from his time in Italy.

By the 17^th century figs trees were common. Fig rolls at this stage were made at home. There are several theories on the origins of fig rolls being commercially produced, with different countries and companies claiming to be the creators.

Two main contesters for the accolade are McVitie’s and Jacobs.

Some historians believe that the Scottish biscuit company McVitie’s created the first fig rolls in the late 19th century. Developing a recipe for fig rolls that consisted of a sweet pastry filled with fig jam, and the company began mass-producing the pastry in the early 20th century.

However, there is also a school of thought which suggests that the Irish biscuit company Jacob’s created the first fig rolls in the early 20th century. Jacobs developed a recipe for fig rolls that again consisted of a sweet pastry filled with fig jam, and the company began mass-producing the pastry in the 1920s.

What is certain is that by the early 20^th century they were a popular biscuit in the UK and throughout the World.

One section of society where they were extremely popular were the working classes. A convenient and affordable treat and the steelworkers in Sheffield were no exception. Once eaten the fig seeds would pass through the digestive system into the sewers and whenever there was a heavy storm a substantial proportion of the sewage overflowed into the river Don.

It is as this stage the vagaries of steel working came into play. The waters of the River Don were at a constant 20 degrees creating perfect conditions for the fig seeds to germinate and grow.

It is a very strange combination for such an exotic fruit to have survived in such a toxic unwelcoming environment as the Industrial North, human appetite, imperfect sewage, and the steel industry.

Today there are many distinct types and variations to choose from, each with its own unique characteristics and ingredients. Some of the most popular types of fig rolls include:

• Traditional fig rolls, which consist of a sweet pastry filled with fig jam.
• Nut-filled fig rolls, which are filled with nuts and spices.
• Sweet fig rolls, which are filled with sweet fig jam and topped with sugar.

Fig rolls played a significant role in British cuisine and culture, particularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were seen as a quintessential British snack food, and their popularity was closely tied to the country’s industrial and cultural heritage. Fig rolls were often associated with traditional British values such as thriftiness, simplicity, and practicality, and they were seen as a comforting and familiar treat that could be enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. The popularity of fig rolls also reflected the British love of sweet and savoury flavours, as well as the country’s rich tradition of baking and pastry-making.

Figs have been mentioned in literature and poetry for centuries including Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, and D H Lawrence.

It is possible to create delicious and authentic-tasting fig rolls in your own kitchen. To make fig rolls at home, you will need to start by making the dough, which typically involves combining flour, water, and yeast, and then kneading the mixture until it becomes smooth and elastic. The filling can be made by cooking down fresh or dried figs with sugar and spices and then mixing in other ingredients such as nuts or seeds. The dough and filling are then assembled and baked until golden brown, resulting in a delicious and flaky pastry.

But make sure to use high-quality ingredients, including fresh figs and real butter or oil, to give your fig rolls the best possible flavour and texture. Second, be patient and do not rush the process, as making fig rolls can be a time-consuming and labour-intensive process. Third, experiment with different ingredients and flavour combinations to find the one that works best for you. Finally, do not be afraid to try again if your first batch of fig rolls does not turn out as expected.

Today if walking along the river towards Meadowhall, there are about thirty mature fig trees, some about 70 years old. A local Sheffield naturalist and amateur industrial historian Richard Doncaster discovered these. He along with a local botanist Margaret Shaw, fellow botanists from the Sorby History Society investigated the trees and confirmed they were indeed Fig trees and had the trees registered to ensure their protection.

From Palestine to Sheffield – the journey of the sensual fig.

“Then Isiah said. Take a cake of figs.” Kings 20.7

Although fig rolls originated in Egypt, created by wasp haters, slowly by centuries and miles they became a classic biscuit and made their way to the Industrial North of England – Sheffield. How did this happen?

How could the fruit of a plant that had its very roots in the Garden of Eden travel so far from home and thrive in what was once a phosphorus smog filled city called Sheffield? A place described by George Orwell in 1936 – “And the stench! If at rare moments, you stop smelling sulphur it is because you have begun smelling gas. Even the shallow river that runs through the town is-usually bright yellow with some chemical or other. Once I halted in the street and counted the factory chimneys, I could see;” 

The fruit of a fig has its very own insect to pollenate the fruits. Unsurprisingly they are called fig wasps. And each variety of fig has its own special little wasp. There are nine hundred species of figs and so of course nature dictates there must then be nine hundred species of fig wasps.

Figs or fig trees are mentioned in the Bible almost two hundred times. Even Jesus mentions them. It makes sense that the tree would travel through the desert with the Israelites and thrive in Egypt.

As previously mentioned, it was here in Egypt that the wasp haters invented fig rolls. Hieroglyphics in the tombs in the Valley of the Kings show the harvesting of figs and it is common for dried figs to be among the items archaeologists find on their digs. Tutankhamun’s rolls would be different from todays; the process would be similar. The preserved figs would have been hand rolled with honey and spices in a floury dough and baked.

How did the fruit get to Britain, well as usual via the Romans. But it was from figs already pollinated so the assumption is there were no fig wasps in the country back then and therefore no cultivated trees. In 1552 Cardinal Pole -later to become the Archbishop of Canterbury planted a fig tree in the garden of Lambeth Palace, brought back from his time in Italy.

By the 17^th century figs trees were common. Fig rolls at this stage were made at home. There are several theories on the origins of fig rolls being commercially produced, with different countries and companies claiming to be the creators.

Two main contesters for the accolade are McVitie’s and Jacobs.

Some historians believe that the Scottish biscuit company McVitie’s created the first fig rolls in the late 19th century. Developing a recipe for fig rolls that consisted of a sweet pastry filled with fig jam, and the company began mass-producing the pastry in the early 20th century.

However, there is also a school of thought which suggests that the Irish biscuit company Jacob’s created the first fig rolls in the early 20th century. Jacobs developed a recipe for fig rolls that again consisted of a sweet pastry filled with fig jam, and the company began mass-producing the pastry in the 1920s.

What is certain is that by the early 20^th century they were a popular biscuit in the UK and throughout the World.

One section of society where they were extremely popular were the working classes. A convenient and affordable treat and the steelworkers in Sheffield were no exception. Once eaten the fig seeds would pass through the digestive system into the sewers and whenever there was a heavy storm a substantial proportion of the sewage overflowed into the river Don.

It is as this stage the vagaries of steel working came into play. The waters of the River Don were at a constant 20 degrees creating perfect conditions for the fig seeds to germinate and grow.

It is a very strange combination for such an exotic fruit to have survived in such a toxic unwelcoming environment as the Industrial North, human appetite, imperfect sewage, and the steel industry.

Today there are many distinct types and variations to choose from, each with its own unique characteristics and ingredients. Some of the most popular types of fig rolls include:

• Traditional fig rolls, which consist of a sweet pastry filled with fig jam.
• Nut-filled fig rolls, which are filled with nuts and spices.
• Sweet fig rolls, which are filled with sweet fig jam and topped with sugar.

Fig rolls played a significant role in British cuisine and culture, particularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were seen as a quintessential British snack food, and their popularity was closely tied to the country’s industrial and cultural heritage. Fig rolls were often associated with traditional British values such as thriftiness, simplicity, and practicality, and they were seen as a comforting and familiar treat that could be enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. The popularity of fig rolls also reflected the British love of sweet and savoury flavours, as well as the country’s rich tradition of baking and pastry-making.

Figs have been mentioned in literature and poetry for centuries including Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, and D H Lawrence.

It is possible to create delicious and authentic-tasting fig rolls in your own kitchen. To make fig rolls at home, you will need to start by making the dough, which typically involves combining flour, water, and yeast, and then kneading the mixture until it becomes smooth and elastic. The filling can be made by cooking down fresh or dried figs with sugar and spices and then mixing in other ingredients such as nuts or seeds. The dough and filling are then assembled and baked until golden brown, resulting in a delicious and flaky pastry.

But make sure to use high-quality ingredients, including fresh figs and real butter or oil, to give your fig rolls the best possible flavour and texture. Second, be patient and do not rush the process, as making fig rolls can be a time-consuming and labour-intensive process. Third, experiment with different ingredients and flavour combinations to find the one that works best for you. Finally, do not be afraid to try again if your first batch of fig rolls does not turn out as expected.

Today if walking along the river towards Meadowhall, there are about thirty mature fig trees, some about 70 years old. A local Sheffield naturalist and amateur industrial historian Richard Doncaster discovered these. He along with a local botanist Margaret Shaw, fellow botanists from the Sorby History Society investigated the trees and confirmed they were indeed Fig trees and had the trees registered to ensure their protection.