Fig Time

This is the time of year, late August and early September, when figs are abundant. Trees are laden with the ripe, juicy fruits , just waiting for tempting dishes. The best part about figs is that they are versatile . They can be served as a dessert or with main meals.

Melissa Clark explored various fig recipes in yesterday's New York Times Dining section.Her column, A Good Appetite covered all aspects of the fruit. She grows them in her Brooklyn  backyard where she has easy access..Mostly  Southern Italians and Sicilians  raise them, with figs being indigenous to the lush warm landscape. However a lot of urban New Yorkers are discovering the figs trees. charms. They take well to the city landscape, enjoying ambient heat from the brick buildings(the urban heat island effect ) and the buildings protect them from the elements. Come winter, they just need to be wrapped in burlap to protect them from the elements.

Figs are good on their own and most like them accompany a good ripe cheese for dessert. However figs can be made into delicate cookies or cooked into kabobs. Ms. Clark's offers us both. There is a recipe for financiers , a merengue like cookie with a fig sliced baked in the middle. These would be nice as a Sunday dinner dessert with vin Santo,/ She also gives us a tasty lamb and fig shish kabobs that have been doused with honey and rosemary.This is a more Middle Eastern nod thanks to the addition of mint and lamb. Figs are also a Middle Eastern staple too and any recipe from there could work with figs.

Figs are a late summer treat that can be made a variety of ways.Try them in a dessert or as part of the meal. Their lush , sweet flavor is good any way and a nice introduction to the fall harvest.