Fall for Figs

Recipe

As the summer season comes to an end, focus not on your fading suntan, but on the plentiful harvest of figs still available. Fig season begins in summer and continues through early fall, having peaked mid-July.

Fig trees have been symbolic since Biblical times, and today they’re considered a symbol of abundance, fertility, and sweetness.

There are hundreds of varieties of figs, but the the three typically found in the Philadelphia area are Black Mission, Brown Turkey, and Calimyrna. Perhaps the most commonly recognized fig is the Black Mission, famous for its distinctive flavor and purplish-black outside with red flesh underneath. The flesh is chewy and moist, with a flavor that has been compared to a cross between a peach and a strawberry. Mission figs get their name from the California Franciscan missions, where they have been cultivated since 1770. Mission figs are best enjoyed fresh, but are also delightful dried.

The all-purpose Brown Turkey figs have maroon-brown skin and are medium to large in size. The flesh has sweet, juicy pulp. Calimyrna figs are best noted for their nutty flavor, resulting from the crunchy seeds found in the flesh. Large, with yellow-green skin, and white flesh, Calimyrna figs are often used in pastries and confections or eaten dried, as they tend to spoil quickly.

Figs should be harvested as soon as they become ripe but not before; once detached from the tree they cease to ripen. When a fig is ripe, it will be soft, giving slightly when pressed, though not mushy. Because they are ripe when purchased, they have a short shelf life. Stored in the refrigerator, loosely covered, figs should keep for up to three days.

Rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron, Figs contain Vitamins B and C, and have the highest overall mineral content of all common fruit. Figs are high in fiber, which leads to their next interesting characteristic—they have mild laxative properties. To top it off, figs are fat-free, sodium-free, and cholesterol-free.

Fig Newtons are nice to snack on, but try slathering some of this easy to make fig spread on bread for a tasty treat:

Fig and Honey Spread with Hazelnuts

Yields 4 Cups

2 cups figs, finely chopped
2 naval oranges, peeled, finely chopped or ground
1 cup sweet red wine
1 cup honey
2 cinnamon sticks
2 or more tbs hazelnuts, toasted, skins rubbed off, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer stirring occasionally until it is thick and jam-like. Fold in hazelnuts and cook for another minute or two. Remove cinnamon sticks, cool, and store in a tight-lidded jar in the refrigerator until desired. Pair with goat cheese on slices of rustic bread for a heavenly moment.

Kayla Calabro is a senior studying Culinary Arts at Drexel University and pursuing her love of creating specialty cakes.

Article photo by clkao via Flickr (Creative Commons), "Plate" photograph from FoodCollection/Getty Images.