Instead of being sulphured to improve their color and soften their
skins, figs may be dipped into a hot solution of salt or saltpeter, or
even lye. Unless, however, they are immersed for a long time this
dipping will rarely prevent fermentation, though it will prove
advantageous in other ways. Figs with a rough and tough skin are
especially benefited, the principal effect of the dipping being to
soften the skin. But this dipping should be practiced only on figs of
inferior quality, the best grades not being improved either by dipping
or sulphuring.
In dipping, the figs should first be placed in a perforated bucket and
rinsed in cold water, to free them from dust. They should then be
transferred to a kettle containing boiling lye, made of 1 pound of
potash to 10 gallons of water. An immersion of from one-fourth minute to
one minute suffices; the time being regulated according to the size of
the figs and the pliability and thickness of the skin. Boiling salt
water may be substituted for the lye water for the dipping of some figs,
different varieties requiring different solutions to secure the desired
result. After dipping, the figs are dried without rinsing. If salt or
saltpeter is used instead of lye, 1½ pounds of either to 50 gallons of
water is a proper quantity. Lye is generally used, but the writer
prefers salt or saltpeter, either of which gives good results as regards
pliability of skin, while the salty taste generally improves the flavor.