The good thing about this time of year: It's fig season.
The bad thing about this time of year for me: I only ever do one thing with figs _ make preserves. Occasionally, I use those preserves to make Ocracoke fig cake but most often I end up giving away jars of preserves as hostess and holiday gifts.
This year, I'm challenging myself to break out of my fig rut.
Here's what I've learned: Crispy cured pork and creamy cheese are a fig's best friends. Use bacon, pancetta or prosciutto. Try mascarpone, brie, blue cheese, goat cheese or ricotta.
You can stuff the figs with cheese, wrap them in prosciutto and grill them, like I did based on a recipe from former Magnolia Grill chefs Ben and Karen Barker's "Not Afraid of Flavor" cookbook. You can take those three ingredients and use them to top a crostini, a flatbread, a pizza or a salad.
It's almost impossible to not be rewarded by this combination.
Of course, make preserves and use that to make cake or fondue or slather on a grilled ham and cheese sandwich.
The other bad thing: Figs don't last forever. You will find them at the farmers' market or ripening on local trees for a while longer. Be sure to ask permission before picking from someone else's tree.
My advice: Don't just ask permission, share some preserves.
