Figs


	FIGS
	FIGS are nature's candy!. They are incredibly sweet and come in a convenient single serving case that locks in the juices until you're ready to enjoy! Most people have had dried figs (especially in fig newtons!), but fresh figs are a real treat! They are gorgeous and delicious! Perfect for your cheese platter as they pair nicely with cheeses, they are also an unusual addition to your fruit platter and can be cooked in savory dishes too. Dried figs are chewy and sweet. Fresh figs are light and sweet with an interplay of crunch from the tiny seeds, soft skin, and juicy meat.
	Black Mission Figs have a thin black-purple skin and are an inviting deep pink inside. Monks brought these figs to California where this crop spread to other missions and hence, their name.
	Calimyrna Figs are an even rarer treat fresh as these are the predominant ones that are dried. These are green-yellow skin that is a bit thicker than the Black Missions (so some people peel them) and inviting ivory-pink on the inside. Calimyrnas came from California (Cali) and are born from the Turkish Smyrna (myrna) fig.
	Brown Turkey Figs have copper brown skin with red undertones and an inviting white-pink inside with few seeds. They are a sweet popular variety.
	Facts:
	Nutritionally: Good source of fiber and Vitamin C, Figs also offer us thiamin, potassium, mangnesium, iron, and calcium.

	How to choose: Fresh figs are a summertime treat; choose firm ones that are free of blemishes and super fresh. The sun will shrivel the end near the stem.
	How to store: Store fresh figs in the refrigerator in the container in which you buy them and plan to eat them or use them soon after you buy them as they are quite perishable (that's why most figs are dried, to preserve them). Dried figs get stored in your pantry and can keep for months; they can be frozen even longer.
	Fun Facts: One of the oldest fruit in the world, the Spaniards brought these to American in the 1600s.
	Cooking Tips: Simply cut figs in 1/2 or in 1/4s for your cheese board for a spectacular presentation! Like cheese, they are more flavorful at room temperature. Top a tart with fresh gorgeous figs! To chop dried figs, put them in the freezer (this will keep them from sticking to the knife) for about an hour beforehand. For baking, coat them lightly in flour before adding to the mix so they don't all sink to the bottom. Like raisins, you can plump figs in hot water (or you can use wine or juice).
	Recipes: Wrap in prosciutto or crisp pancetta, like done for cantaloupe, as an appetizer. Stuff with a soft cheese like Gorgonzola or Mascarpone. Poach, roast, stew them for 20 minutes at 300F. Add to a tagine with meat, lamb, or chicken. Fresh Figs with Chocolate and Almond Stuffing, ivillage Fresh Figs with Orange-Ginger Sauce, The Healthiest Foods in the World Late-Summer Fresh Fig Desserts California Fig Facts and Recipes Grilled Figs with Rosemary & Goat Cheese Goat Cheese w/FIgs and Walnuts Fig Galette Arugula Salad w/Figs and warm vinaigrette Port-Glazed Figs w/Walnuts and Stilton Maple, Fig, and Raisin Rice Pudding Cold Poached Salmon w/Creamy Dill and Fig Sauce