Freeze dried fruit is a little miracle of modern food technology. Freshly-harvested fruit is washed and dried, then placed into a very cold vacuum chamber, where the water is removed without damaging the cells of the fruit. The result is dry and crisp, with concentrated fruit flavors.

Trader Joe’s Freeze Dried Fig Slices come to us directly from a supplier in Turkey, the world’s leading fig-producing country. They use the Smyrna variety of fig, known for its seedy, pink flesh and pale green skin. (Fun fact: when this fig variety was initially transported to California for production, its name was changed: Calimyrna figs are the same as Smyrna figs, but grown in California rather than Turkey.) Here, that pink, seedy interior takes on a crispy texture, and delivers the expected figgy flavors with aplomb. These are great for snacking anytime, excellent in a bowl of cereal, and will liven up a cheese & charcuterie board on both the flavor and texture fronts.