Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Luscious Fruit Is in Season

Fresh figs are a delicacy. Their richly-colored skin like velvet, luscious texture, and floral flavors are a world away from the concentrated chewiness of dried figs. A heaping platter of ripe figs, with a couple gently squeezed open, reminiscent of a Dutch still life, is one of the most beautiful things you can serve to friends around a supper table. Just add fruit knives and an excellent cheese.

Beyond the fruit bowl, fresh figs are versatile and surprising. They improve simple savory salads and snacks, and add complexity to easy or slow-cooked entrées. Their famous sweetness is a foil for tart vinegars and a natural for decadent desserts. Rich in potassium, Vitamins K and B6, they are a nutritious ingredient.

Pounce on ripe figs when you see them. Use them quickly; they don't ripen at home. Look for smooth, plump specimens. Wrinkling or stickiness indicates over-ripeness. An under-ripe fig feels woody. Please don't squeeze: A light touch will tell you if it is ripe. Store figs for up to two days in the refrigerator, covered, in a single layer.

While we think of figs as fruit, they are actually edible flowers. They appear from midsummer, when the first, breba crop ripens on the tree. This smaller crop grows on the previous season's wood. The main crop is responsible for the flush of fruit at market in early fall. It forms later, on this season's new, green growth.

Read on for our favorite fresh fig recipes. They'll inspire your own delicious meals and desserts to come.