The common fig is one of the first plants ever eaten by human beings, maybe even the first domesticated, cultivated fruit. There is nothing common at all about a fresh fig. It has a subtle, slightly exotic taste that makes it great for eating on its own, raw in salads, cooked as an ingredient in main dishes, as a foil for meat and poultry, or as a dessert.
There are 150 varieties with a range of beautiful colours-for example, the Black Missions have a black and purple skin and pinky flesh, and Calimyrnas have a green skin and amber coloured flesh, but the taste doesn't really vary. Fresh figs are fragile and perishable, and therefore are not easily transported. Look for soft fruit with a lovely aroma. Store them in a paper bag in the fridge and eat them quickly. Ripe figs are soft to the touch with a pleasant aroma. Finely cut Prosciutto di Parma and Figs can be the simplest but most heavenly antipasti there is. |
