The Fig: Italy’s Sweetest Summer Treasure

Plus 4 Irresistible Recipes

Figs are ripe and overflowing on my trees, so I’m sharing their rich history—from Neolithic times to the Roman Empire—along with my favorite fig recipes, preservation tips, and a story-packed podcast episode.

There’s nothing quite like the taste of a perfectly ripe fig—warm from the sun, bursting with sweetness, and soft to the touch. Right now, my trees are heavy with fruit, and I’ve been gathering baskets full of them daily. The air is filled with their honeyed aroma, and I’ve been turning them into every kind of dish imaginable. Figs are my inspiration this week, and I’m celebrating them in full—from my garden, to your table, and all the way back through history.

As it happens, I also just released a podcast episode featuring the author of The Perfect Fig, a delightful collection of short stories. The timing couldn’t be better: figs are ripe, abundant, and as rich in stories as they are in flavor.
The Perfect Fig is a collection of short stories that are as tender, layered, and unexpected as the fruit itself. We talked about memory, food, and how figs can carry the weight of a whole narrative in just a few bites.

🎧 Listen to the episode here:

Let’s begin with the fig’s remarkable story.