The Beauty of Figs

Figs with Blue Cheese and Cacao Nibs make a quick appetizer that is both easy and different. After just a few minutes of slicing, scooping and sprinkling these exotic gems are ready to inspire guests with their bold combination of taste and texture.

Dramatic Figs

Figs are in season. They’ve been on display at my local market for several weeks now. I can’t resist buying a box from time to time. Simply sliced or drizzled with honey, those fresh figs are delicious.

When perfectly ripe the flesh of a fig is soft and voluptuously sweet while the skin retains a slight acidic tartness. The seeds add a mildly sandy sugar texture to the sensual sweetness. Overall, the taste and feel is richly exotic and indulgent.

I love the adventure of the taste, texture and appearance all wrapped up in that plain homely skin. Their shape is much like an enormous teardrop. I think of the thousands of achingly bittersweet stories its tender history might tell.

The Beauty of Buying Local

I find that dramatic tension, however, is a matter of personal taste and is best savored in small doses. Since my family does not find figs as intriguing as I do, I buy them rather infrequently. I just can’t bear to watch those dark tear shaped orbs growing shabby with neglect and I can’t eat a whole carton of figs by myself.

This week, shopping in a small stall in Lausanne, Switzerland, I saw a basket of fat brown figs. In the markets of Switzerland I see them mostly sold individually, which would end my problem of having them go to waste. The thing is, in Lausanne they were selling for 2 Swiss Francs each, a price which is close to $2 for a single fig. When I think of the pint sized box I buy at home for $4.99, I feel blessed. I hardly realize how lucky I am to have such a rich variety of fruits and vegetables available locally. Isolated in my own small world, I realize even less how reasonably my groceries are priced when compared to much of the rest of the world.

Swiss Fig Creations

Despite the cost, I saw figs on frequent display in Switzerland. I found figs readily available in markets in Bern and Lausanne.

They were prepared beautifully and used to great advantage in desserts we were offered.

I even found figs temptingly added to a new line of dark chocolate made by Lindt.

A Ripe Fig with Soft Cheese and Crunchy Nibs

With this heightened awareness of figs I remembered a recipe I found interesting when leafing through a new cookbook I received last spring, Spain and the World Table. The recipe was for Figs stuffed with Blue Cheese and Cacao Nibs. It featured a way to prepare figs that combines both ease and the exotic flavors in an interesting and photogenic way. Unfortunately, figs were not available then.

Now that I see figs everywhere, I decided to try the recipe. It was fun to prepare. I had cacao nibs from another project, bought local Oregon made blue cheese, instead of the Spanish Cabrales or Valdeon the recipe suggested, and bought a carton of figs at the local market. After a few minutes of slicing, scooping and sprinkling my figs were ready to serve. And just look at how lovely they turned out to be!

How did they taste? I think they engaged every taste bud. Each mouthful was a bold combination of taste and texture – soft and sandy sweet, tangy sharp and creamy as well as crunchy and bitter. They were – above all – interesting!

More Ways to Serve Delicious Figs

Figs with Blue Cheese and Cacao Nibs is a quick appetizer that is easy and different. What’s more, it is pretty and it requires no cooking. That said, these are not for everyone. My husband, my son and a friend all tried one. They all smiled and agreed that it was interesting. But none reached for a second piece.

Still I loved the adventure and am inspired to continue looking for ways to use this luscious beautiful fruit. Here are a few more ideas for using figs I have discovered lately:

• How about trying figs brushed with seasoned olive oil and grilled on rosemary skewers?

• Honey Lavender Roasted Figs add a rich sweetness to the delicious tension between creamy goat cheese and crispy crackers.

• Or perhaps a salad of figs with a Warm Bacon Vinaigrette would appeal to your taste buds.

• A Fig Salad Dressed in Honey and Balsamic Vinegar is a great way to prepare figs that are just shy of perfect ripeness. in this composed salad of spring greens and goat cheese, figs take the stage drizzled with a honey balsamic dressing and sprinkled with candied pecans.

• An enticing combination of seasonal flavors in this Poached Fig, Pomegranate and Blackberry Parfait would make an elegant end to a romantic dinner.

• Or, if you prefer a simpler dessert try honey drizzled figs with goat cheese and pecans.

Whatever sounds good to you, grab some figs, and enjoy!