FIGS..........Sensual and exotic

The first time I had a fresh fig was on our inaugural trip to Tuscany about twenty years ago.

James was sent over to paint and I, along with our daughter Ana, joined him.

We were staying in a villa in the hill town of Barga which is in northern Tuscany. The landscape there is different than that of Siena crete region or Maremma area of Tuscany, but all are stunningly gorgeous! Barga was quite mountainous as it is in the Apennines.

 Behind the villa was a very large orto,vegetable garden . Often in the morning the gardener would come by to work in the garden and many times his young grandson would be at his side.

It was on one of these mornings when I was out hanging laundry that I went over to say hello.

The extent of my Italian was an embarrassing five words which left me with only to say buongiorno.

The young boy handed me a fruit that he had just picked from the big leafed tree that I had wondered about.

The boy said,"figgy". Ah! a fresh fig. I recall being a bit hesitant, but the first bit was astounding.

I had never tasted something so unique and wonderful.

Later that same day, wouldn't you know it, I had my second "figgy", it was a white (or green) fig pulled right from the tree in a friends garden in Barga.

Back at home some 20 years later.....

This fig  is one of two in our garden. They are potted and come indoors each winter. This is their third season and they are bearing a quantity of fruit this year.

We eat them fresh from the tree but we also cook them which brings out a deep  exotic flavor, a sensual experience either way. This will be dessert tonight!

Sauteed Figs

Fresh figs cut in half  lengthwise

Butter 

Honey

Good Balsamic vinegar or better yet balsamic condimento

Heat saute pan, add a tablespoon of butter, when melted and hot add figs cut side down.

Let cook without moving, after about 10 min. turn to skin side and let cook for about 10 min.

Remove fro heat and turn figs back to cut side and drizzle a little honey.

Before serving drizzle with balsamic. serve warm alone, with Mascarpone cream or with ice cream

On that first trip to Italy we learned many things including:

1. about eating figs

2. to wear comfortable shoes

3. that white truffles are divine

4. that great art is everywhere

5. To learn some Italian before we return to Italy

6. That we MUST return to Italy   ( we do, as often as possible)

Figs Define the Season in our Garden

 Figs are as important as tomatoes, arugula, basil and spinach in our garden. We would be very disappointed gardeners if by September we were not harvesting beautiful ripe figs.

Granted this is New Hampshire and not Italy, but James and I have come to expect a fresh crop of figs in the late summer ever since our first taste of  figs picked off the tree in a garden in the Medieval  hill town of Barga, Tuscany  twenty years ago.

Eaten fresh off the tree one can best realize the true sweetness of a ripe fig, but a little time  in a saute pan over heat, with the addition of some butter can transform figs into a warm dessert when dressed with a drizzle of balsamic condimento , and for a cool contrast a small amount of gelato or ice cream.

 Cut the figs in half lengthwise. Heat a  heavy saute pan, add a little canola oil and about a tablespoon of butter, when the butter begins to sizzle add the fig halves cut side down into the hot pan. 

Over medium to medium low heat let the figs cook.....resist moving them for about 10 min.

Then turn the figs over and cook skin side down for about another 5-10 minutes. Drizzle a small mount of balsamico condimento over each fig. A very good balsamic vinegar can be used but the condimento is much better for this.

For added luxuriousness serve warm figs with  a small amount of gelato or  vanilla ice cream.

So just as apples, squash and pumpkins define the season in our garden and kitchen so do figs.






Balsamic Condimento is available at Formaggio Kitchen