Summer Candy: Figs!

One of the many delights of California summer foods is fresh figs. So syrupy sweet, they are like candy.

Our backyard fig trees are still too young to bear much fruit, but Allen Wilson of Wilson farms offers his bounty at the Santa Cruz Farmer’s Market:

Allen Wilson with his figs

We need to remember to buy enough so that some actually make it home (and are not all eaten up on the trip home). Good just as they are:

Plain figs

or sharing the plate with salad fixings:

Fig, tomato, cheese salad dressed with cider syrup

Of course, the “fixings” are stars themselves. Local organic arugula, fragrant and peppery; sungold cherry tomatoes from the backyard garden; cheese from Cowgirl Creamery; and dressed with a wonderful apple cider syrup.

Here’s the cheese up-close:

Fresh Cowgirl Creamery Cheese

And the unique and wonderful apple cider syrup (which we picked up at River Cafe in Santa Cruz):

Apple Cider Syrup