A sweet surprise

The figs, which usually feature in August, came early this year.  Darn the mild (or really, nonexistent) winter and strangely mild summer, thus far.  I had just told my little (not-so-little) brother a few weeks ago that he was going to have to pick the figs this year since I won’t be in GA come August.  Alas, they came early and we lost a good pound or two of figs to the birds and the bugs.  But the good news is, I love picking and eating and cooking with the figs and I was going to miss doing so this year, had they come when they should.

The fig tree grows at the side of my parents’ house.  We never pay it any attention – really, none – until it is time to check on the figs.  And the figs are always plump and sweet – and abundant!  Picking figs is a sticky, sweaty, itchy task; but for fresh, tree-ripened sugary pink figs, it is well worth it.  It’s hard to find good fresh figs in markets, and harder still to keep them that way if you’ve picked them after they are ripe – which is why it is hard to find them for sale.  If you enjoy figs, you should really plant a fig tree.  Transplanting is apparently easy - come over and borrow a branch if you know how to do that!

Mom happened to notice that the figs ripened as she was preparing for her girls’ trip this week and sent me a text on her way to Florida that they were ready to be picked.  (My mom is so hip with her girls’ vacation and her texting – she uses “u” for “you,” y’all.  This makes me chuckle.)

So I harvested them last night as the sun was setting.  Still humid and sticky, the itch and pleasure of picking the figs was just perfect.  I only managed to salvage one pot full of figs from being over-ripened or eaten by nature.  But it seems that there will be two distinct crops of figs this year.  There are plenty of green nubs to keep an eye on over the next few weeks.  (Listen to me, as if I know anything about growing fruit!)

The fruit is perfectly magenta-tasting – the word nectar comes to mind.  I’ve already made my pie for this week, but this lovely gift begs for a tart to be made.  This is also an excuse to make frangipane, which I have never made before.  

Ok, so tonight I’ll make pie dough and purchase almonds – and then I’ll organize all the paperwork and pictures from the past 10 or so years of my life that currently litter my bedroom, I promise!