I never had fresh figs, not that I can recall anyway. Growing up in Switzerland and living in Canada, figs are not really part of our given food basket. I’ve traveled to Jordan and Israel in the past and don’t recall eating fresh figs there either. I would remember, right? I’ve heard such wonderful things about fresh figs, picked straight off the tree and eaten while still warm. I’ve read of people slicing fresh figs and serving them with drizzles of honey. They seem to have such a romantic notion about them.
So, when I came across a crate of fresh figs, I thought I’d give it a try. They were nice and ripe, soft to the touch, but not mushy. I sliced them and served the figs on fresh baguette with fresh brie and a drizzle of honey. I had a big bite and – mehhh- didn’t love them. While they were sweet and soft, I did not enjoy the texture. Now, I’m not sure if this was because they had to travel all the way from California, or if this is the nature of fresh figs? All I can say is that hubby and I are not a fan of fresh figs – at least not here in Canada. We are both very open to trying again when closer to an actual fig tree.
In order not to waste such precious fruit I decided to make a fig spread. Easy to make and yummy to eat. Just cut some figs into quarters and add them to a sauce pan, add a bit of water and two tablespoons of sugar. Heat until the fruit turns soft, add a splash of wine vinegar. Taste and season with more sugar if you wish. Puree in food processor. Serve alone on bread or with cold chicken. Store in airtight jar in the fridge for a couple of days.
