Around this time last year, I started noticing fresh figs in my blog feed and on Facebook. Figs might have a rich and colourful history, but I didn’t grow up with figs. I didn’t know much about them so I bought a couple of figs at a crazy $4 each and cooked them up. I was naive and paid way too much for those figs, but I did enjoy them so tucked my fig love away for the day when figs were more affordable.
Fast forward a year, I saw that Te Mata Figs in Hawke’s Bay were offering a special deal to their Facebook followers. One tray of figs for $27 delivered.
I had no idea what a tray of figs looked like but it sounded like it would be more than 7 figs. I was in for a surprise. A huge tray of 42 figs arrived a couple of days later. Figs are highly perishable so I carefully moved them to a bowl and refrigerated them (the tray wouldn’t fit in our fridge) while I decided what to do with them.
I would be lying if I said I didn’t taste a few fresh figs out of curiosity.
The first fig was halved and plopped into a bowl of Greek yogurt and drizzled with real maple syrup. A few subsequent figs were eaten “neat”.
That weekend, I cooked up a few fig recipes based on flavours that my research told me worked well with figs and invited some friends over for a four course fig feast.
Click on the images below to view their recipes:
This post is part of Our Growing Edge, a monthly blogging event to encourage bloggers to try new food related things. Jordan and Cindy from My Daughter and I are the hosts for this month’s event.
If you have a blog and you are eating or cooking something new this month, click below to join. More information here.
Bunny Eats Design 
My daughter and I always do a happy dance when we see figs appear at our local Whole Foods. Literally, we dance right in front of the display and then take forever to choose our precious little basket of deliciousness. Figs never make it on my blog because we usually eat them in the parking lot and they do not make it home.
Hi Chef Connie. I’ve never eaten a fig in a parking lot, but I’ve heard there are various fig trees around and I love the idea of sitting under a ripe fig tree and gorging on them. Though I guess in your case, it might be difficult to know when to stop!
Oh this is brilliant! I’d love to play with figs more, we actually have a fig tree but have never got to them before the birds!
Oh my. You need to figure out a way to get to them before the birds. I once saw a fruit tree where each individual fruit was wrapped in paper. I think it was to protect them from birds. Sounds like a lot of work to me, but might be worth wrapping a dozen figs to save them?
You are so talented Genie! I had some figs but didn’t realise they needed to be refrigerated and they all went mouldy 😦
Awww. Thank you Ari.
Bummer about the mould. Yeah, they seem to be pretty delicate. Even in the fridge some of the bottom ones got a bit squishy. Not mouldy though and still fine after some roasting.
Oh my these look amazing! I’ve only tried figs in restaurants but I’m interested to use them in cooking and baking too. I’ll be keeping an eye on your posts. This has made me hungry close to midnight. 🙂
Thanks Angela. Midnight snacks can be a dangerous habit. I usually just drink a glass of water and go to bed instead.
figs are something that i did not grow up either. fig newton cookies don’t count. i don’t think i’m sold on them! i think the seeds freak me out.
To be honest, I didn’t really notice the seeds, pomegranate and passionfruit seeds I find hard to ignore though. How do people just crunch on those big seeds and pretend it’s OK?
Damn damn damn. Those fig pics. I’m getting hungry!!
42 figs! So envious (I could finish them in no time I bet 😉 ) Your fig recipes a really making me crave figs!
Yes, I was pleasantly surprised with the huge bounty. Luckily I have friends willing to help me finish them off 🙂
No doubt I would have helped if I was there! 😊
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I wish I had a box of 42 figs to spur my creativity. You certainly did a great job with yours.