Things I Love: Figs

Today is going to be the best day ever, I think. Can it possibly top last Friday? I have no idea if it can, but today does mean another Avett concert!

figs

I think I sang a little too much at the concert last week because my voice has been gone for the past couple of days. After tonight’s show, I probably won’t be able to talk for another week. It’s a good thing I have you guys as internet friends and don’t actually have to speak out loud to talk about food.

On top of not having a voice, I’ve had a cold this week, which means I’ve been eating soup and not doing much else after work.

I’ve got so many pictures and recipes backlogged on here, but the cold meds are keeping me from thinking straight so, today, we’re going to talk about my new favorite fruit: figs.

chocolate_dipped_figs

I had never had a fresh fig until 2 years ago when we moved into this house and inherited some fig bushes. You can’t find them in grocery stores here – ever – so my only experience with figs was with the dried ones.

We love figs now, but I think my favorite thing about having them in my yard is the smell coming from the plants. If you stand in the yard when a breeze is blowing by, you can close your eyes and smell the fig leaves from wherever you are. It’s intoxicating in early fall when the berries are gone and the apples aren’t in yet.

figs_feta_rosemary_honey

Whether we slice them onto pizza with salty bacon, toss them in salads with nuts and cheese, plop onto yogurt for breakfast, or bake into muffins (recipe coming!), figs have turned into one of my favorite fruits of all time.

Who knew I was missing out all this time? They’ve got a light flavor that almost tastes like a peach, but not, and I love them the most mixed with raspberries or with something salty like feta.

fig_bacon_pizza

It also turns out that our favorite jam is made with figs, too. I had no idea moving into this house would make this much of a difference in our late summer and fall menus.

Forget the apples – it’s still fig season!

fig_walnut_cake

Here’s some of our favorite fig recipes:

Chocolate Dipped Figs

Figs with Feta, Rosemary, and Honey

Honey, Fig, and Walnut Cake

Frog Jam

Bacon, Fig, Feta, and Ricotta Pizza

Easy way to freeze figs for later (use in smoothies, jam, etc)

10 comments

  1. Oh how I love fresh figs! I found a package in the grocery store 2 week back and ate them until i was sick.

    That feta, rosemary, honey topped fig looks heavenly.

  2. i seriously need to move in with you :) LOVE figs!

  3. FIGS, man. I’m super jealous of your backyard figs! There are fig trees in my neighborhood, but none in my yard, sadly. :)

  4. Dipping figs in chocolate?? BEST idea!

  5. How do you know when it is ripe? My tree came with the house. I have a Bunch of figs, but the only ones I have eaten are dark brown color & very sweet. Should I be picking them when they are still green? Help with any advise on this. I am also wanting to freeze. Thanks.

    • Hi Terry! It depends on the type of fig, but ours start to droop, become soft, and start to turn a deep purple when they’re ripe.

      • Thanks for the reply. I will check mine again.

        • you could also look at pictures online to see if you can figure out what kind you have based on the shape/color. then just look up when to pick them/when they’re ripe. I’m sure each type is a little bit different.

  6. I love fresh figs, too. Those figs with feta, rosemary and honey look amazing. Can’t wait to try that.

  7. Jealous of your fig bushes! All of these recipes look amazing!

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