Woke up this morning and the thermometer had dipped to 46 degrees F. (8 C.). First time this fall a drop into the 40s. By 10 a.m. it had warmed up to a beautiful 65 with a pleasant breeze and blue skies smudged with just a few wispy clouds. The windchimes serenaded us, and it was lunch on the porch, a special treat – salad topped with my own home-grown figs. Yes, right here in the north country.
An ancient fruit
When I think of figs, I picture dry Mediterranean climates, ancient stalls with sellers of these magnificent fruits. Egypt, perhaps, or Morocco. Indeed, figs have been cultivated in Egypt and Greece for over 5,000 years, providing inexpensive and abundant nourishment for rich and poor alike. Fresh, raw, cooked, dried, they are a reliable crop that has sustained populations. When I was growing up, I doubt I ever had a fresh fig, my experience with them was more than likely limited to Fig Newtons, a favorite cookie.
Spiritual and religious significence
Figs are unique in that their flowers are internal and not visible to the eye. Thus, they bloom inside the fruit which is a bit tricky and involves an extremely tiny wasp and complicated life cycle. What a relationship. For thousands of years, figs have held mystical and spiritual significance, representing fertility, abundance, peace, prosperity, and enlightenment. The Buddha is said to have found his enlightenment under the shade of a fig tree. In the Christian bible, it is a symbol of spiritual health.
Nutritional information
In the practical side of the world, figs are an energy packed source of good carbohydrates and fiber, high in Vitamins B6, K, and riboflavin, potassium, magnesium, copper, and calcium. Their consumption has been linked to improved digestive health, blood pressure and blood sugar stabilization. They may also slow cancer growth, are good for the skin, hair, and bones, and may also reduce inflammation.
Cold hardy? Kind of
I certainly don’t immediately envision a lush green Vermont landscape with fig trees, and yet there are varieties that are hardy, sort of, even here.
First, Celeste
A few years ago, I purchased my first fig tree (bush) “Celeste” at the local farmers market. It sounded like a fun project, so I planted her in the biggest pot I could find. She didn’t grow a lot, but the first year I did harvest about five pretty good-sized figs. What a wonder! Although I’m told that one can plant the tree directly in the ground in a protected spot, then root prune in the fall and bury in a trench to overwinter it, I chose the easy method, put it on wheels and rolled it into our unheated garage. Attached to the house, even when it is well below zero outside, it does not get below freezing in the garage. As spring approached that first year, I was delighted to see little sprouts at the branch tips. I lightly watered her again, and brought her out to the sunny porch once I thought the danger of frost was past. That year, my harvest was a bit more, but still not abundant.
Chicago keeps her company
This spring, I brought her out a bit too early although her sprouts were getting really large and I thought she needed some sun. We had a cold snap, and the sprouts got chilled and browned. I brought her back in until June, cut her back, and decided she needed company. I bought a second bush, “Chicago Hardy” with larger leaves and looking more robust. Chicago did remarkably well and set lots of fruit, so for the past two weeks I’ve steadily been harvesting some nice fruits from him, so I have high hopes. Celeste has finally set some fruit, but they are on the small side and may not ripen. I think the two make a lovely pair, and will overwinter nicely together in the garage. Nighttime temperatures are going back up for the next week, so their move won’t be any time too soon.
Keeping it local
In the meantime, we’ll keep harvesting while we can, although the fruits are getting smaller. We’ve eaten them straight up, on crostini with a local sheep cheese drizzled with honey, and on several salads, including the one below, pictured in a lovely bowl created here in town at Mt. Philo Woodworks, also purchased at the farmers market; his tent is right next to the fig tree seller, who noticed, when I showed him the photo of the salad this past weekend, that it was served up in one of Randy’s bowls. Now, that’s keeping it all local!
Radicchio and Fig Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
Simple, quick, just a few very good ingredients that get along well together. A little sweet, a little sour, a little bitter, with creamy and nutty all combined. I’ve used a local blue cheese here, but I can tell you the vegan varieties are really delicious in this salad as well, hard to tell it’s not dairy. If you can’t find nice radicchio, you can substitute another flavorful bitter green such as arugula, and while this is wonderful with pecans, another favorite nut works well too.
- 1 small bunch radicchio, any color or shape
- Handful of other more mild greens
- Four or five figs, halved or quartered
- ¼ cup or so of toasted pecans or other nut or seed
- 2 oz. of a favorite blue or vegan blue, something flavorful, crumbled
- Honey lemon vinaigrette, below
Tear the radicchio and greens in a salad bowl. Top with the figs, blue cheese, and pecans, and dress lightly with the vinaigrette.
Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1 tbsp. local honey
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- Zest of one lemon
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice from that lemon
- 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
- 6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of salt
I first made this when I had about a tablespoon of honey left in the bottom of its lovely little jar with the beehive on the side, next to the bowl above. The rest of the ingredients got added and shaken up well. So delicious, and I always use this jar for this vinaigrette, of course.
Combine everything in a jar and shake like crazy.
“No great thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.” ~ Epictetus
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Figs are such a delightfully delectable fruit. My grandfather had several trees in our backyard in The Bronx. Pairing gorgonzola with figs and an ice cold moscato is simply decadent! Cheers! 🥂
Sounds wonderful sis, and lovely memories!
How nice to have your own fig trees. I love figs and that’s a beautiful salad.
Thank you so much my friend! They are portable, but definitely won’t fit in a suitcase!
How lucky you are! Beautiful salad.
Mother Nature is divine!
Fall in Vermont – looks like perfectly ripe figs and local cheese, so good!
It was a lovely match, a classic, but so much better because I grew the little gems!
I’ve been thinking about getting a Chicago hardy fig. You’ve convinced me. If it can grow in Vermont, it can certainly grow in Appalachia!
Oh, it will thrive there! You’ll be happy!
What a great story, a photo to frame and a recipe definitely to copy – figs, blue cheese and nuts – you mean someone can say ‘no’ – Ha! And, thanks!
Thanks my friend! It’s a great combo!
This is embarrassing to admit, but when Randy and I first married we lived in a rented house and there was a fig tree in the back yard. It had abundant figs that first spring we were there…and I thought I did not like figs. Only 26 years later would I eat a fresh fig and understand what I had been missing! The salad is beautiful and sounds lovely. One should never judge a fig by having eaten a Fig Newton–a cookie I never liked, thus, I assumed I did not like figs!
Well. My dear, I hope you make up for it now and eat lots of them while they are in season!
That looks lovely!
Thanks so much! They are a tremendous source of smiles!
That looks delicious
Merci, mon amie!
You have nurtured some lovely looking figs. :))
Thank you! A little food, a little compost, and rain. I didn’t arrange most of the rain part!
Well, I’m impressed! My grandson bought a fig tree a few years back, planted it in the ground, and it doesn’t die but it also doesn’t grow and it certainly doesn’t produce fruit. 🙂
Maybe he just hates winter! I’d dig him up and plop him in a pot, on wheels!
Figs are the best surprise! Love your photos, by the way! 💜💚🩵
Thank you so much my friend!
What kind of camera do you have?
I have a Nikon D850, a workhorse many years old, but still functions great.
I can tell. 📸✨
One never forgets their very first bite of a fresh fig! How cool that you’re able to grow two of them in containers, and what a rewarding harvest! I can only imagine how life-affirming the salad was…
Thanks J M! We couldn’t stop smiling as we enjoyed this very simple repas! So sweet, and terribly rewarding!
Great post! I want to grow one but always say too much trouble but I will have to rethink this. Salad looked awesome! I am on the seacoast of NH maybe mine would have a chance 🙂
Oh, I think they would do well there!
OK I will hunt one down 🙂
My mouth is watering just looking at your gorgeous photos, what a delightful dish! Not having an abundance of fresh figs in our garden is one of the things I really miss about Asturias especially as they are an unbelievably wicked price to buy fresh in the UK. That said, any more summers like this one and I might be tempted to plant some here in mid-Wales! I love the idea of you wheeling your plants about to keep them snug, I may well be joining the club! 😊
Thanks LIs! It really has been fun, an pretty easy. They did well sitting in the garage all winter and although they take some light freezing, the temperatures in my garage never get that low, almost always hovers around 40 F (4 C) which is perfect refrigerator climate, and we use it as such especially after a party. Where did that apple crisp go?
I’m impressed that you can grow a fig tree, Dorothy. There’s nothing like a fresh fig. Thank you for the processes of polination. I had no idea.
The pollination is pretty amazing, happening on the inside of the fruit via the little wasps, and once again I’m amazed pondering where those specific little wasps come from the second you plant a fig tree!
I wonder, if I can grow figs in Latvia… We have harsh climate, so it should be done indoors… I guess..
Do you have a sheltered place for overwintering? In Vermont, where we are, it can easily go -20 F -29 C.
I’m not sure.. sheltered yes, but still -20F at winter… or lower
My girlfriend kept hers in an unheated bedroom in the winter.
How cold was in the room? Is it way below 0C ?
No, just on the chilly side, enough to keep it dormant, and not much light either, shades were drawn.
That’s a salad I would enjoy!
Thank you!
Wow, I hadn’t realized that it was possible to raise figs in New England. The salad looks wonderful.
Thanks Sheryl! You never know until you try. Until I met the guy at the farmers market, I wouldn’t have thought of it either.
Your home grown figs look so delicious! It is so difficult to grow some off the plants in New England weather but you have done such an amazing job !
Once I figured it out Sandhya, it was just pure fun! Thanks for stopping by!
This looks fabulous. My daughter turned me on to figs in Portugal. I appreciate both the ingredients and the dressing. I suck at dressing salads. I think I can do this one. Also, love the Epictetus quote, applies to food and ideas. Hugs, C
Thanks my friend! I love that quote too.
You can’t go wrong with dressing if you just toss everything in a canning jar and shake. No chemicals! Lots of satisfaction! And you can make it all yours.
We must picked figs in Texas but they were golden. Different variety?
What a delightful salad!
I don’t think the golden varieties are hardy here at all, at least I’ve never seen them. I’ll ask my fig guy!
What a beautiful salad!!!
Thanks Nancy!