fresh figs?

Can someone tell me what the season is for fresh figs, and whether I can get any in the Chicago-area?

Fig Season generally runs from late June-mid Sept. You can find them at Whole Foods during the whole season. We live in Pilsen and they are almost always at our local supermercado (La Casa del Puebla, 18th & Blue Island Ave.) Mexicans seem to love figs (higos) so if you have a well-stocked supermercado near you, check to see if they have them.

I've found them last year in the produce section of City Fresh Market on Devon & Kedzie for fairly cheap.

I saw them last night at the Whole Foods out here in the 'burbs.

There are definitely fresh figs at Marketplace on Oakton in Skokie. I just bought some last week.

Marketplace on Oakton
4817 W Oakton
Skokie 60077
847-677-9330

They have them at Hyde Park Product on 53rd street. They carry them throughout the season, sorry didn't notice the price.

Hi,

I saw a small half pint container at Mike's Fruit and Vegetable in Highland Park for $3.99 a few days ago.

Regards,

Thanks all. Bought mission figs at Fox and Obel, and while it was necessary to pick through them to avoid the moldy ones, the ones I ended up with made for a very nice honey fig ice cream.

Up here in Montreal, we're awash in fresh figs. At the Marché Jean-Talon this afternoon, my fave Italiano veg and fruit stand had buckets of them. Now: what does one DO with fresh figs? I take your point about ice cream, but what else is there?

Eagerly awaiting some suggestions, I remain:

Geo

PS. Dates are appearing now, too. Suggestions?

Geo,

I'm so jealous I was at three places today (including Whole Foods) and no one had fresh figs. As to eat them, just drizzle with a little honey and a blue cheeze and some nuts...perfect IMHO

LD says "just drizzle with a little honey and a blue cheeze and some nuts...perfect IMHO".

Wow. I've got to admit that that sounds just terrific! I've got some nice Danish blue, a pour or two of local honey, and some walnuts ready to toast... Methinks I'll hie meself over to the marché tomorrow morning and get some figs. I'm salivating at the thought already. Tnx! Wish I could share some with you.

Geo[/i]

Geo wrote:LD says "just drizzle with a little honey and a blue cheeze and some nuts...perfect IMHO".

Wow. I've got to admit that that sounds just terrific! I've got some nice Danish blue

Most any bleu would work, (though a gorgonzola dulce or a double cream blue are woth trying) - especially inserted into the fig, then baked to warm the whole thing up and then drizzled with honey.
Had some today - $6.49/20 lovely figs - thanks Costco!

Tnx for the cooking suggestions sazarac! Interesting that Da 'Burgh Costco would have fresh figs--they must be in competition with what's going on down in The Strip, eh?

Which is your Costco, the one out by the airport, or the one under the bridge in Homestead?

Geo

PS. Btw, I'm going to cook some Pgh Sicilian hot sausage tomorrow for dinner, from Parma! Man, that is STILL the best sausage in the universe.

Geo wrote:Which is your Costco, the one out by the airport, or the one under the bridge in Homestead?

The somewhat 'new' one at the Waterfront (Homestead)

Geo wrote:PS. Btw, I'm going to cook some Pgh Sicilian hot sausage tomorrow for dinner, from Parma! Man, that is STILL the best sausage in the universe.

And the best thing I've done with it is:
Smoke it. With a date inside (weren't you just wondering what to do with dates?), a jalapeño outside and wrapped in bacon (also from Parma) like this - but you knew that

Ah, so THAT'S what one does with dates! Very trés interesting! When I'm off to the marché tomorrow to get my figs, I'll pick up a date or two and give it the Parma-sazarac-GWiv treatment. Ah, yesssss!

Gonna be a busy day tomorrow!

Geo

I had a lovely appetizer of fresh mission figs, stuffed with gorgonzola, wrapped in prosciutto and drizzled with an aged, syrupy balsamic at Cafe Amano in Elmhurst the other night. The sweet figs, tangy cheese and salty ham were a nice combination. The plate was garnished with fresh berries that were perfect for scraping the balsamic off the plate. It was a pricey plate ($10) but very enjoyable

Cafe Amano
www.cafeamano.com
105 S York Rd # 100
Elmhurst, IL
(630) 279-9333

They had figs at my Costco (on Damen) today. I think there were 3 incomplete boxes left (I scavenged and got one full box). I'm having them with the cheese and prosciutto (and might even thicken some balsamico).

thanks for the suggestion!

I haven't confirmed this by walking over (today is just a tad warm for my fragile constitution), but the Middle East Bakery and Grocery on Foster almost always has fresh figs once the season strikes. (And I know they've already had them this year.) It's definitely a great place to check; even if they're out of figs, the trip will be a success for any of the thousand other items they carry.

Middle East Bakery and Grocery
1512 W. Foster Ave., Chicago
Tel: (773) 561-2224

P.S. Or, you could take a walk up to Pasticceria Natalina for some cuccidatti, the luscious Sicilian Christmas figgy cookie!

I made a trip to HMart tonight for figs. Sadly, none were to be found. I did score some fresh lychees and a massive artichoke.

I was in the Middle Eastern Bakery yesterday and can confirm the fresh figs. Sadly, I am reading this post today and so was not inspired to pick any up. However, I am in within walking distance and have dinner planned already (once the heat breaks).

Diannie wrote:I had a lovely appetizer of fresh mission figs, stuffed with gorgonzola, wrapped in prosciutto and drizzled with an aged, syrupy balsamic at Cafe Amano in Elmhurst the other night. The sweet figs, tangy cheese and salty ham were a nice combination. The plate was garnished with fresh berries that were perfect for scraping the balsamic off the plate. It was a pricey plate ($10) but very enjoyable

Cafe Amano
www.cafeamano.com
105 S York Rd # 100
Elmhurst, IL
(630) 279-9333

That's one of my favorite cocktail party appetizers, fresh figs stuffed with a small chunk of Maytag, wrapped in a prosciutto jacket and baked for a short 5-10 minutes to allow the prosciutto to crisp up and the cheese to melt .

The California Fig Advisory Board
has many wonderful recipes using figs. Unfortunately, most of the recipes are for dried figs. Fortunately, I think that most of the recipes can be easily adapted for fresh figs. And the website is a good source of inspiration.

Jerry's had big pints of very nice fresh figs for $2.98 and separately sold individual figs that were much larger for I think 50 cents each.

--Joy

The Zuni Cafe Cookbook has a wonderful recipe for fried figs. I made it for a dinner party and two of my guests declared it the best dessert they had ever tasted. Basically, you dip the halved figs in buttermilk, dredge in flour and deep fry. I used grapeseed oil added some creme fraiche and lavender honey drizzled over the top.

Joy wrote:Jerry's had big pints of very nice fresh figs for $2.98 and separately sold individual figs that were much larger for I think 50 cents each.

None this evening at 8

Fresh figs are back at Jerry's. Both green and black, $2.98 /pint. Yum!

--Joy

Morse Fresh Market has pints of green ones for 2.59. I also recently spotted them at Fox and Obel.

Oh, and as this is my first post, a hearty hello to all.

Hiya, UptownGirl.

I bought some at GrandMart a few weeks ago and today at The Produce Center. $3/pint seems about what I paid.


The Produce Center
5820 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL
773-775-3200

Joy wrote:

Jerry's had big pints of very nice fresh figs for $2.98 and separately sold individual figs that were much larger for I think 50 cents each.

--Joy

i wish people would add addresses when they mention places, rather than assume we all know what you are talking about. what/where is jerry's?? thanks, justjoan

Good point, Joan. Jerry’s is a large produce store in Niles. It has good and bad points. It has huge turnover so most of the time the produce is extremely fresh. But they sometimes don’t have the widest selection. For example, they never stock those sugar snap peas that you can eat the whole pea pod raw because it is so tender and sweet (the ones kids like). And they never stock shitake mushrooms for example. But it is a real scene, often very crowded and filled with savvy shoppers of every ethnicity.
Jerry’s is just off the corner of Oakton and Milwaukee, on the southeast quadrant of the intersection, just south of the McDonald’s.

Jerry’s Fruit Mart and Garden Center
7901 N Milwaukee Ave
Niles, IL 60714
(847) 967-1440

I got a pint of fresh figs at Graden Fresh Market on Skokie Blvd in Northbrook on Friday for $1.99. We ate them with the cheap Boar's Head prosciutto (which was surprisingly fine) and some basice brie. Mmmm.