Late summer on the estate means one thing in the kitchen: the fig trees are producing, and we're putting every last one of them to good use. Figs have a longer, stranger history than most people realize, so before we get to the recipe, here's a little context for the fruit currently taking over our counters.
A Few Things You Probably Didn't Know About Figs
Fresh figs are often thought of as simple, honey-flavored treats, but there's more going on beneath that thin skin than most people realize.
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Ancient survivors. Figs are estimated to have been around for roughly 80 million years, meaning they predate, and outlasted, the dinosaurs.
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Inverted blossoms. A fig isn't technically a fruit in the traditional sense; it's a syconium, an inverted flower that blooms inside the pod. Those crunchy little "seeds" are actually the individual flowers.
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A pollination partnership. Figs depend on a highly specialized wasp for pollination, one of the more unusual partnerships in the plant world.
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Calcium champions. A half-cup of figs provides about as much calcium as a half-cup of milk, and ounce for ounce, figs pack more potassium than a banana.
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The original forbidden fruit? Western art often depicts Eve's forbidden fruit as an apple, but many Jewish scholars and historians point to the fig instead. Michelangelo seemed to agree: on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, Adam and Eve cover themselves with fig leaves while holding a fig branch.
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Eat the skin. Fresh fig skin is entirely edible (just give it a rinse first), and a good portion of the fruit's fiber and antioxidants live right beneath the peel.
Turns out there's a lot going on behind that quiet little fruit, and we happen to have a few of them growing right on the property.
Guest Favorite:
Agave Roasted Figs
This is the recipe we keep coming back to all season: five ingredients, twenty minutes, and a result that looks far more complicated than it is.
Ingredients (makes 6)
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6 ripe figs, any variety
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½ tsp agave per fig (honey or maple syrup work as substitutes)
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½ tsp goat cheese or brie per fig
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Gingersnap cookies, crushed, for garnish
Instructions
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Heat oven to 350°F.
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Destem and quarter each fig, leaving the base intact so it opens like a flower as it heats.
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Line a muffin tin with silicone liners and set a fig in each cup.
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Drizzle ½ tsp of agave into the cut sides of each fig.
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Bake 10 to 15 minutes, depending on ripeness, until the agave and juices are bubbling.
- Pulverize Gingersnap cookies in a food processor.
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Remove from the oven and tuck a bit of goat cheese or brie into the center of each fig. Let sit a few minutes so the cheese softens.
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Plate and finish with a sprinkle of crushed gingersnaps.
Serve warm, ideally with a glass of something local. It's the kind of small-batch recipe that turns a quiet evening on the estate into something worth slowing down for.
Taste Fig Season for Yourself
Our fig trees are producing right through late summer, and a stay at A' Tuscan Estate means you're welcome to see (and taste) the season firsthand. Check availability and book directly with us for the best rate.
