A lone fig tree was the focal point of my grandparents’ backyard in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and a source of great pride for both of them. My grandfather took extraordinary care to swathe the entire tree from roots to tip before the winter to protect it from the cold, and my grandmother beamed with pleasure whenever she brought the ripe fruit she picked to the table in late summer.
As a child, I didn’t much appreciate the taste of fichi, and I thought this fig fetish was peculiar to my grandparents. But I later learned there were fig trees growing in backyards all over Brooklyn, and throughout NYC’s five boroughs; Italian immigrants brought a taste of home with them and planted cuttings from fig trees in Italy when they arrived in America.
“All you need is a little stick that you put in your pocket, and it’s all dried out when it’s dormant,” explains Michele Scicolone, an Italian-American cookbook author and Brooklyn native. “The old-timers were very close to the earth, and the trees are still thriving. I think people feel like they’ve inherited a gem, and it’s a wonderful family legacy.”
NYC-area fig fans even come together to celebrate the fruit at the annual Fig Fest in Staten Island, which this year will be a combination of virtual and socially distanced activities hosted by the National Lighthouse Museum on September 15.
Unfortunately, I didn’t take a cutting from the tree in my grandparents’ backyard when they sold their house, but I have come to adore the flavor of figs as an adult. They are a beautiful, delicious addition to sweet tarts and savory pizzas, as well as in salads and pasta dishes. But my favorite way to enjoy them is with a variety of cheeses—both Italian and American, which seems a fitting tribute to the trees that have flourished in Brooklyn and beyond.
Fresh cheeses are wonderful with juicy, ripe figs; try ricotta on toast topped with slices of the fruit and a drizzle of honey at breakfast. The imported ricotta di pecora (sheep’s milk ricotta) from Caseificio Busti, available seasonally at D. Coluccio & Sons in Bensonhurst, is an excellent choice, or look for high-quality domestic ricotta like those from Bellwether Farms.
Prosciutto and figs is a popular combination, but I also love lightly smoky Speck Alto Adige and a chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano together with the fruit.
Burrata with figs is another winning pairing. Di Palo’s in Little Italy makes their own in-house, or try the burrata from Narragansett Creamery available at Saxelby Cheesemongers. And blue cheese and figs is a classic for good reason. You can never go wrong with Gorgonzola, and for those who are hesitant about blues, take a bite of sweet, mellow, fudgy Bay Blue from Point Reyes together with a fig, and then let me know if you’ve changed your mind (both available at Murray’s Cheese).
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