Picnics •
Fig & Almond Pudding
Random Facts About Figs in France
- The French love their fresh figs. According to the French Ministry of Agriculture, 3340 tons of figs were harvested in France in 2020;
- According to the botanists at the Potager du Roi in Versailles, figs are not fruits as such but inversed flowers;
- Quality figs such as la figue de Solliès, grown in the Var, are known for their particular sweetness and floral notes;
- In his Guide to Modern Cookery, Philippe Escoffier instructs his chefs and readers to “Place (fresh figs) on a layer of very green leaves, and surround them with broken ice“;
- Fresh figs are a perfect match with cheeses. Serve a 2-3 quartered on your cheese platter- particularly good with goat’s cheese. For strong cheeses (particularly those from Corsica), enjoy with fig jam;
- Delicious roasted and cut into thin slices for fig tarts (see my recipe in Teatime in Paris);
- Fig storage: outside fridge for 4 days or a week in the fridge.
Fig Season
Late summer. August-October.
