Bring Us a Figgy Pudding!

Figs. If you've ever eaten a fresh one, you know that the stuff in between a newton doesn't even come close to resembling the sweet taste of the real thing. The taste is often described as a mix between peaches and strawberries, but I think its sweetness is a bit more subdued, a subtle yet rich flavor that is best paired with a little dollop of goat cheese and a drizzle of honey (see photo to left). They also make wonderful baking partners- I've made a number of loaves of fig bread this season using the crop that grows on the two fig trees in my yard. You can also try baking figs whole with cinnamon and honey (or sugar), wrapping them in prosciutto, adding them to cookies, and using them in sauces or chutneys to lend a Mediterranean flare to meats (check out some other fig recipes here). And of course, you can always try whipping up a batch of that figgy pudding we all sing about in "We Wish You A Merry Christmas!" Rich in calcium, iron, phosphorous, potassium, and fiber, figs are sure to give a healthy edge to any dish you decide to include them in.

I thought my trees were done producing for the year, but this weekend I discovered that they would yield one last batch of fruits before hunkering down for winter (or pseudo-Alabama winter). I snagged a few ripe ones and had a mid-afternoon snack. Yum!

Need more ideas? Find out how to get the most out of your figs with Julie O'Hara on NPR's Kitchen Window. You can listen to it here.