Portuguese Saying: Call It A Fig (Chamar-lhe um figo)

This cheeky Portuguese expression is used to describe irresistibly tempting activities or foods.

Figs in Portugal are greatly treasured for their flavor — no wonder they’re a metaphor for temptation!

About the Expression

Figs are popular year-round in Portugal, and are coveted for their sweet, delicious fiavor.

This Portuguese expression is perfect for describing activities or foods that are so irresistibly delicious that one can’t help but indulge without thinking twice.

As in, you’re not going to eat that cake? Okay then! I’ll have it and call it a fig.

Fig trees in Portugal only bear fruit from May to October.

Once they ripen, the time to eat the honey-like fruit is preciously short, only two to three days — hence their priciness and tendency to sell out when available.

What a perfect symbol for temptation.

Let’s Dive Deeper

Fig trees grow all over Portugal, but Algarve, the country’s southernmost region, is where much of the fruit’s production comes from.

Figs are enjoyed year-round in a variety of ways.

When fresh, they’re eaten with honey and/or cheese, baked, grilled, in salads, made into luscious jams.

The sweet fruit is also often dried whole and generously stuffed with cinnamon, almonds and other spices.

One local Algarvian delicacy is the delightful quiejo de figo (Portuguese fig cheese). The dessert is typically served on the first of May, but is also popular around Christmastime.

To make quiejo de figo, sliced figs and almonds are traditionally layered into a mold. Brandy is drizzled over it.

The ingredients are pressed into a firm cake, then finally decorated with whole blanched almonds on top. Delicious!

This Portuguese saying belongs to our Bites of the World collection, which spotlights unique food-related expressions from ten countries. It’s also available individually as a vibrant postcard design.