fig
August 5th, 2009
Figs from the gardens of Casa de la Pav
Just a few years ago and after much research, my husband (mike) made a decision to plant a fig tree. It began as a lone stick; only a few feet high. With much nurturing and water it has grown. Now it’s 15 feet to the sky and branches 20 feet around. Our figs are filling many bellies with their candy-like goodness and tingle around the mouth! Mike and I can’t believe how sweet they are.
If you aren’t going to grow a tree, figs can be found in your local market. These pictured are mission figs and are very common. The first figs of the season are found around the beginning of Summer. Then, lucky for us, figs have a second bloom towards the end of Summer to the beginning of Fall.
How to pick a good fig? Gently touch it – if it has a bit of give, no blemishing, and is not crinkled (like your finger tips if you’ve been in water too long) it should be ready.
Figs, Honey and Blue Cheese
4 of your favorite figs, left whole, sliced in half & quarters
1 tbsp of honey
3ounces of blue cheese, softened
Place figs and blue cheese on a platter, wooden cutting board or fig leaves. Drizzle honey over figs. Take a small piece of soften blue cheese, gently spread it on the honeyed fig and eat. Or take a piece of cheese and place it in your mouth along with the fig. Either way it’s fabulous!
August 6th, 2009 at 2:14 am
Like Beth, I had a miraculous fig tree in my Austin garden, that grew like Topsy and bore the sweetest figs through August and September (the sweetest ones are always at the top of the tree, remember!), though it was a daily battle with the critters as to who got to the figs first. Going out to the tree early in the morning and picking a ripe, sweet fig and eating it right there and then is a taste memory that remains with me long after leaving my garden, and Austin. For the peak of ripeness, look for those beads of sweetness that bleed from the base of the fig. Mmmmmmmm. Thanks Beth for recalling that memory!
August 6th, 2009 at 4:25 am
You’re amazing. I love you and I love your life….and I LOVE your fig recipe.
August 6th, 2009 at 5:51 am
sounds yummy!! How did you get a fig tree to grow so well? Dad had planted one years ago butthe heat just killed it!!
Great blog, btw!
August 6th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
I really found this to be a very interesting segment on figs. The photo is just perfect. It makes my mouth water. The information was very informative and the recipe quite simple. I have a different outlook on figs now. I will have to make a visit to my parents fig trees and see if there are anymore treasures.