Summer has come to a close but there's one more treat to enjoy from the garden: Figs. This embarrassingly easy recipe is certain to become a favorite.

Those who are not fans of figs probably haven't had a good fig. The best figs aren't the perfect-looking ones. Mais non. You need to go for the ones that look like they are bound for the compost pile. You want them soft, squishy, and even a bit oozing. They're delicious, sweet or savory. Top them with honey or make a simple confiture. They'll shine in the company of crème fraîche or be a delicious companion in an olive tapenade. You can cook them hot and fast to caramelize their cut side. Or, you can let them stew in their own juices for hours. Figs are a delicious and versatile addition to your cuisine. But you have to hurry because the season doesn't last long. Recorded in history as early as 2700 BCE, figs were considered a staple food that was consumed by both the rich and poor. From the Egyptians to the Greeks, figs were valued not only as a symbol of fertility but as a nourishing and restorative fruit. Figs have been discovered in the tombs of pharaohs, where they were considered essential for the afterlife. Cleopatra ended her life when she had an asp brought to her in a basket of figs, her favorite fruit. The earliest Olympians were given figs to eat as a reward for their athletic prowess. The popularity of figs spread throughout Europe and eventually reached the Americas in the 1500s when Spanish missionaries planted fig trees at their mission in San Diego. As the chain of missions spread northward through California, fig trees were planted at each new location, resulting in what is now known as the popular "mission" fig.  Though we eat it like a fruit, a fig is actually a flower. Technically, an entire bouquet that grows on a tree branch. A single fig is a group of tiny, inverted flowers growing inside a pod called an inflorescence. Each fig contains hundreds of flowers, and each flower produces a small seed. There's a bit of resemblance to the structure of raspberries and strawberries. They prefer a warm, dry climate and are abundant around the Mediterranean Sea. Yet, they grow in my garden here in southwest France, where temperatures dip below freezing in winter but not for an extended period of time. My fig tree came from a small twig I foraged years ago. I know they're ripe when I touch the neck of the fig and it's soft. This is because figs ripen from the bottom to the top of the fruit. Once a fig is picked, it will not ripen off the tree.  Once you have your ripe figs, select a simple recipe that showcases their flavor. You don't want to cover up all the sweetness of a ripe fig with too many spices and sauces. You just need a couple of ingredients to enhance all the goodness that is already there. My French Fig Summer Tart may sound complicated, but it's actually easy to make. Based on Ina Garten's recipe, it requires only 4 ingredients: A good pastry, ripe figs, granulated sugar, and some apricot jam. That's it. Full disclosure: You know how I love my ready-made puffed pastry available everywhere here in France. It's made from high-quality ingredients, and you can freeze it, pulling a package out when needed. Garten uses her foolproof pastry recipe. You can find it online. Use whatever pastry recipe you prefer. I like to use a puffed pastry over a pie crust pastry. But you do you. FRENCH FIG SUMMER TART INGREDIENTS   1 puff pastry sheet, thawed 18-20 large figs, washed & quartered 1/4 cup of fine sugar 1/2 cup apricot jam Preheat oven to 400 degrees (200 Celsius) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare your favorite pastry recipe or thaw the frozen puff pastry according to the package directions. You still want it cold, but you need it to unfold and roll out into a rectangle without cracking. Keep it in the fridge while you prep the figs. Wash and take off the stems from the figs. Quarter them if they are large, or cut them in 1/2 if they're small.  Line up the figs into rows across the entire pastry. Sprinkle the sugar over the top. Ina Garten insists, "Don't skimp on the sugar." She uses 1/2 a cup, and that is way too much sugar. The figs are so super sweet on their own - if they're ripe - and you're going to top with a bit of confiture. You can pull that sugar way back.  Place the tart into your preheated oven and cook for 45 minutes, rotating once to ensure the pastry browns evenly. While the tart is baking, prepare your glaze. Place the apricot preserves into a small saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of water. Heat on medium / low until the jam melts. Remove the tart from the oven and brush the top of the fruit with the glaze. You want to dab gently. Avoid moving the fruit around. Voilà! Figs have an almost seductive quality. They appear strange on the exterior, but that is only a mask for the luscious interior that invites us to devour it. Rich in potassium, calcium, and iron, they are also packed with fiber. I agree with the ancients that they have restorative properties. I can't get enough of them. I have a couple of new fig starts from my current tree. Not sure where they'll be planted come next fall, but I'll find a place.    À la prochaine fois, Karen 🇫🇷