figs

I planted a raised bed full of herbs in my backyard last year in hopes of gaining a better understanding of where my food comes from, as well as to enjoy the fruits herbs of my labor. Despite next to no prior experience in the garden, for the next few months I was a woman obsessed, tending to my garden with care day in and day out.

Cut to three months later, when I sheepishly pulled into the garage under the cover of darkness with a seemingly lifeless twig of a fig tree in the car trunk. Inexperienced, and without a proper home for a tree with a decades long life-span, I set it up next to its fragrant friends and watered away, hoping for a sign of life. Slowly, but surely, leaves sprouted forth, and I marveled at each subsequent, shoot, bud and leaf; from my enthusiasm (and over-sharing with anyone who'd listen) you'd think I birthed the tree myself.

Keep reading for more figgy business.

While most of you would rather eat black figs, I love all figs equally and will jump at the chance to try something new with them. This weekend, on a lovely Fall afternoon, I preheated my oven and got to work baking my first fig tart with both Calimyrna and black mission figs.

Making a crust can be a nerve-wracking experience, but this one is incredibly easy. The addition of vanilla extract really enhances the crust's flavor. While it is a simple recipe, it's time-consuming since the crust must be precooked before you assemble the tart.

Once the crust is cooked, just quickly arrange the figs and carefully pour in the fragrant orange blossom custard. If you can't find orange blossom water at your local market, you can order it online, or substitute orange zest. The finished tart is perfect with its flaky crust, creamy custard, and slightly caramelized figs. Fig season is fleeting, so get the recipe now.

There's something to be said for quick, easy appetizers that still pack plenty of flavor — not to mention a blend of salty and sweet — and that's exactly what Aimee3242 has created with this simple but satisfying finger food.

My boyfriend and I had a few people over for dinner last week and I needed to make something our guests could snack on while I finished cooking dinner. This dish couldn't have been easier to make and the bites were so easy to just pop in your mouth.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Figs

• 4 figs, cut into sixths
• 8 slices of prosciutto, sliced vertically into thirds
• 2 tbsp. blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese
• Aged balsamic vinegar
• 3 basil leaves, sliced thin

1. Wrap a piece of prosciutto around each fig.
2. Crumble some blue cheese on top of the prosciutto-wrapped figs.
3. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over each piece.
4. Garnish with basil.

Want more? Start following Food and Booze, and then get to work on your own food blog. You could wind up featured here!

I recently hit up a trendy restaurant for brunch, where I found myself feasting on crusty bread topped with macerated raspberries and mascarpone cheese. The dish was chock-full of peak season sweetness, but I couldn't help but think that, at an overpriced $9, it'd be better off made at home.

So, with that inspiration in mind, I took to my market and picked up a bounty of end-of-season apricots for a mere 99 cents per pound. The stone fruits, along with some figs, went into the oven to be roasted until they were syrupy and falling-apart sweet. I served them in their juices over fresh ricotta on rustic levain.

As it turns out, roasted fruit-topped bread makes a delicious start to the day, as well as an after-school or post-workout snack. It's easily adaptable (I'm certain everything from plums to blackberries to grapes would work!) and affordable to make at home. Keep reading for the indispensable recipe.

When thinking of an appetizer to serve at upcoming holiday parties, skip processed, premade food and serve something fresh and whole instead. We love this idea from FitSugar reader CheesePlease; she posted it in the Snack Attack: Healthy Snack Ideas community group.

Think of Grana Padana as Parmigiano Reggiano's high-maintenance cousin. This cheese is less nutty and salty; a much more delicate cheese compared to your regular Parmesan. Pair Grana Padano with a high quality fig spread or preserve for an elegant and rustic appetizer!

Check out more of CheesePlease's recipes and snack ideas over at her blog, Cheese Please. And don't forget to post your own recipes and snack ideas in the FitSugar Community; they may end up on the FitSugar homepage!

Fig season is like pre-Fall in the fashion world, a tasty little teaser that helps bridge the gap between Summer and Autumn. Perhaps it's partly because the season is so fleeting that this fruit tastes so sweet, but when figs are just right, they taste downright sinful. When people tell me they don't like figs, I say, they just haven't had a good one yet.

This soft, fleshy fruit with a thick but edible skin comes in many colors and forms. In North America, the most common types are Mission figs, Brown Turkey, and Brunswick, which have dark skin and a pink-purple middle; Calimyrna, the green-and-pink beauties like the fig pictured above; and Kadota, another green-skinned variety.

Keep reading to learn how to select fresh figs, and how to prepare them.

Cheese is one of those party-ready pantry items that I always have on hand; nothing's easier (or classier) than putting together a last-minute spread for a dinner party with crackers, nuts, and dried fruit.

I didn't think anything could improve the old standby of the cheese platter, but I was proven wrong when I came across this elegant arrangement of late-Summer figs and cantaloupe, blue cheese slices, and slivered almonds, all drizzled with honey.

Part fruit salad, part cheese course, this dish highlights the best of the season without doing too much with each ingredient. Be sure to source the best items you can; I opted for green Kadota figs, local lavender honey, and a creamy Wisconsin blue. Keep reading for the recipe.