Growing figs

Whether fresh or dried, figs are a sweet snack that conjure up images of the Mediterranean — and it is largely thanks to European and Middle Eastern migrants that Aussies can enjoy this small but mighty fruit.

Figlicious is run by Gebran Azzi, who grows figs in Glenorie, New South Wales. Azzi’s parents came to Australia as refugees, escaping the war in Lebanon. “My father and his brother brought in Lebanese cucumbers and started growing them, then they moved into tomatoes and capsicums,” says Azzi. He worked as a property valuer for a decade but when his parents retired, he decided to make use of the empty greenhouses.