Gift from above

Ah, figs. Is there a more sensual fruit? It's clear we live in a Mediterranean climate when you see trees dripping with figs. They're sublime halved and wrapped in prosciutto, then briefly grilled. Blue cheese loves them, too. Actually an inverted flower containing tiny fruits within, the fig has a long history of lore surrounding it. From Africa to Asia, the fig tree is revered as the Tree of Life and the Bodhi tree that inspired Buddha. The Greeks and Romans considered it a gift from the gods, and Egyptian kings required figs in their tombs. Often relegated to a cookie filling in the U.S., figs deserve a renaissance. Join deities and royals worldwide, and sup on a fig.