Figs

Figs hold a significant place in Lemnos, closely tied to the island’s summer activities. Locally, the fig trees are commonly called “vasilikati difori” due to the large size of their fruit and the double harvest season, which begins in late August and concludes by mid-September. Both white (green) and black (brown) figs grow on the island, but both types are primarily intended for household consumption and drying.

The dried figs, known as “sykopagides,” are spread out to dry—sometimes quartered, sometimes halved—on brushwood. Once dried, they are washed in the sea and baked with bay leaves to preserve them for the winter months.