Late summer is the time to enjoy figs in Provence. I find that you either have a glut, if you own a fig tree, or none at all, if you don’t.
You can of course buy figs in the market, but it’s not like other fruit, peaches or apples, which are readily available over several months. Once figs are ripe they perish very quickly and start to spoil, either on the tree or after you’ve picked them. They will keep in a bowl on the table for about a day or two, before they split and spill their juice and the fruit flies start to attack and they have to be thrown away.
This is probably why you don’t see them for sale very much, and if you do, it tends to be people with smallholdings selling their own crop rather than a vegetable wholesaler. Figs are one of the most photogenic fruits (they’re not technically a fruit at all, but I’m not in the mood to be pedantic); the greenish purple skin makes for a dramatic contrast with the red fruit inside.
Figs are always a treat, but you can’t eat too many of them; they are rich and sweet and thier skin make your lips pucker in way that no other fruit does. My friend Nadine recently came to a lunch party we were having and brought some beautiful figs wrapped in a leaf. For me, not having my own fig tree, they were better than any box of chocolates and were much appreciated by everyone. When you have a tree with too many figs, they can feel like a burden as you have to use them up quickly before they s’abime, fall on the ground and create a sticky carpet under the tree that smells rotten and attracts the wasps. The Artist made some fig jam one year with figs from a friend’s garden. He peeled the figs and boiled them up, it was a long and labourious job and at the end of it, the jam’s consistency was more like chewing gum than jam. So now he just paints them instead.
I like to eat figs just as they are, maybe with some goat’s cheese, or some Parma ham.
How do you like to eat your figs and do you have a recipe you love? Please let me know in the comments below.
This figs looks so good! I love them in tarts and in salad
http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/3219/rocket+and+fig+salad+with+walnut+dressing
I like them straight off the tree
Actually my favorite combines yours: figs stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in parma ham and bbqed en brochette! Oh yep, and with a bit of honey swiped on to boot. Because I am piggy. 🙂
How to make fig wine
http://www.ehow.com/how_5415520_make-fig-wine.html
Here in the Var, I like eating figs right off my neighbor’s tree. The girls, my dogs, like them right off the ground. While I look for one that is perfectly ripe, the girls are not so picky…
When in the mother land, I quite enjoy a good fig square from time to time –
Fig Square: a hearty pastry sold in mom and pop style bakeries and grocery stores in New England. Imagine a pie crust sandwich with fig jam filling. Usually rather dry and borderline excessively sweet. I know, it doesn’t sound very good at all but, I assure you, on a cold winter morning it will hit the spot with a nice hot cuppa. This combo will keep you well fuled all morning while you’re stacking fire wood, ice skating…. you get the picture.
I can imagine this is delicious! You might have to make it for me!
i know you ang and borderline too sweet is just reg sweet for me..love figs any way you serve em.
They look so delicious, I wish I could have some now. Unfortunately I don’t live in a warm country and as a result our tree nearly died last winter from the frost and snow. So we didn’t have any figs this year.
I love figs too.. And hmm, my favorite way must be to have them with some great goatcheese or blue cheese and honey or just with nuts (and honey). There quite a bit of honey going in I notice..lol..
Found your blog through LinkedIn Powerblogging group by the way!
Thanks for comment, I joined powerblogging group after your tweet!
I was there last fall and enjoyed the figs. Your blog is great, beautiful photos.
Boyd@BoydLemon-Writer.com. Author of “Digging Deep: A Writer Uncovers His Marriages. See my website for more info, reviews and excerpts.
Thanks for the nice words and thanks for commenting
I was at a party last night where someone brought some figs fresh off the tree, split in half with creme fraiche and a mint leaf on each one. DEE-lish!!!
Simple and sounds delicious, I think the simple ones work best.
i like to make a fig and passionfruit dessert omelette, gorgeous with greek yoghurt!!!
I love these photos, and agree that figs are one of the most photograph-able foods. My cousins had a fig tree, and I grew up picking and eating them. It always amazes me how many people have never eaten a real, fresh fig! I do my best to make sure they get to try it, if they haven’t had the pleasure yet. I like to slip a toasted walnut through the bottom of one and serve them that way.