FIGS
Honeyed, Jammy & Made for Grazing
Figs are one of the most beautiful fruits to eat in season — soft, fragrant, deeply sweet and almost jammy when perfectly ripe. Unlike many fruits, figs do not continue ripening well once picked, which makes freshness and timing everything.
Grown in the Southern Forests’ mild climate, figs are a true seasonal treat for people who love produce with texture, perfume and natural richness.
WHAT WE LOVE
Figs feel instantly generous. Split one open and you get soft ruby flesh, tiny crunchy seeds, honeyed sweetness and a flavour that sits somewhere between berry, caramel and floral jam.
They are also one of the easiest fruits to make feel special. A ripe fig needs very little — a drizzle of olive oil, a crumble of cheese, a few toasted nuts or a spoonful of yoghurt can turn it into something beautiful.
Growers will tell you the best figs are picked when they’re almost too delicate to travel far, which is why locally grown, seasonal figs are so worth seeking out.
VARIETIES TO KNOW
A number of fig varieties are grown across Western Australia, with growers choosing varieties for flavour, cropping time, fruit size and eating quality. Common varieties include Brown Turkey, Black Genoa, Preston Prolific, White Adriatic and White Genoa.
Brown Turkey — reliable, sweet and versatile, often used fresh or cooked
Black Genoa — rich, dark-skinned fruit with jammy flavour, excellent for desserts and preserves
Preston Prolific — known for generous cropping and good performance in WA conditions
White Adriatic — pale green skin with sweet flesh, prized for fresh eating
White Genoa — delicate, honeyed and well suited to eating fresh
Many fig trees can produce more than one flush of fruit, depending on variety and growing conditions, which helps extend the eating season.
BUYING TIPS
Figs are all about ripeness. They should feel soft and heavy, not firm like an apple. A ripe fig may look slightly wrinkled or relaxed at the neck — that is often a good sign, not a flaw.
Look for figs that:
yield gently when pressed
feel heavy for their size
have a sweet, honeyed fragrance
show rich colour for their variety
have soft, slightly drooping stems
Avoid figs that are hard and scentless, leaking excessively, sour-smelling, dry, split badly or collapsed.
Farmer tip: don’t judge figs by perfect skin. A few fine surface marks can mean the fruit is properly mature. With figs, flavour usually beats flawless appearance.
KEEPING FRESH
Figs are fragile because they are picked close to eating-ripe. Treat them more like berries than apples. Keep them in a single layer where possible, as stacking can bruise the soft flesh.
For best results:
refrigerate ripe figs and eat within a few days
bring them to room temperature before serving to unlock their aroma
avoid washing until just before eating
keep damaged or very ripe figs separate from firmer fruit
If your figs are very soft, don’t waste them — they’re perfect for roasting, jam, compote, cakes or spooning over yoghurt.
USE NOW
Figs work beautifully with:
goat cheese, blue cheese and ricotta
prosciutto, pork and duck
honey, maple and molasses
walnuts, almonds and pistachios
yoghurt, mascarpone and cream
balsamic, verjuice and red wine vinegar
dark chocolate and coffee
Don't forget to add rosemary, thyme, basil, mint, fennel seed, cardamom, black pepper, walnut oil.
For something less expected, try ripe figs with black pepper, basil and a little olive oil, or roast them with rosemary and serve with soft cheese.