Figs are in season on Amelia Island. They are high in calcium, fiber, potassium and magnesium and while there are many ways to serve them, eating them fresh, right off of the tree is the best!

If you have never had a fresh fig they are soft like a peach and very sweet. Nothing at all like a dried fig or the fruit found inside of a Fig Newton.

When they are soft and easily pull from the tree they are ready to pick. Pick them when you are ready to use them as they won’t continue to ripen off of the tree and they do not store well. If you try to save some for later, you can try to store them in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

Figs can be frozen, turned into jams or preserves or you may prefer to can them. Fig can be used to make candy, ice cream or jelly. When we pick figs we prepare them to make our fabulous homemade fig wine.

Plenty of recipes can be found on the world wide web for your figs, but I strongly recommend that you do not pick them until you know what you will be making with your figs and have the time to do so. The freshest figs produce the best dish!

What will you do with your crop of figs this year?

Are you the fig plucker or the fig plucker’s son?