Ah, figs. We love the distinct flavor of these squishy, succulent fruits. And we're not alone. Mediterranean cultures have enjoyed figs for millennia, both fresh and dried. The fruit clearly had a special place in everyone's heart: Figs appear often in the art and literature of the region.

But we just like the taste. Back in August, only a few farmer's market stalls had them, but now it seems like everyone's got some on display. Figs flourish in this state, which the Spaniards discovered as they traveled through their New World territory, spreading enforced Catholicism and smallpox. The Mission figs they left us were the only game in town until immigrants from Eastern Europe brought Calimyrnas and Brown Turkeys and Adriatics in the mid-nineteenth century. The green-skinned Calimyrna is now the most common fig in the US, even if the Mission's dark skin is more iconic. We've spotted the milder Brown Turkeys at Tairwa Knoll's stand, along with fig leaves that add a delicate flavor when wrapped around fish before being tossed onto the grill.

Photos by Melissa Schneider and Colin Burke McClure.

Regardless of the variety, figs need little adornment. A salad we spotted recently at Jack Falstaff underscored the point. It featured fig halves, blue cheese, good lettuce, and an excellent vinaigrette. As a general rule, figs do well with salty flavors. We take advantage of this by stuffing figs with goat cheese, wrapping them in ham, and then roasting at 350° until the ham is crisp, but we're intrigued by the Chez Panisse Fruit recipe that combines figs with pounded salt-packed anchovies, garlic, and olive oil.

For those who want a more upscale preparation, figs go particularly well with foie gras. Historically, they're closely linked: Foie gras producers in the Roman Empire force fed their geese with figs and as a result the word for "liver" descends from the word for "fig" in most Romance languages. But even today, when most producers prefer ducks and almost no one uses figs at all, the sweet, floral fruit flavors are a good match for the earthy, nutty flavors of foie gras. We put small coins of seared foie gras on roasted figs for a succulent amuse-bouche, and we brought the fig jam from Chez Panisse Fruit as a side for the foie gras terrine we brought to an impromptu Labor Day feast with friend of SFist Fatemeh. Pair this with a Sauternes if you're in a classical mood, or with a ripe German auslese riesling if you're feeling more modern (German wine importer Terry Theise told us that he'd prefer an auslese from the Rhine for this combination).

Culinary Artistry suggests other combinations to inspire your figgy creativity. Walnuts are a classic pairing, as are honey and black pepper. We still remember the subtle spiciness of dried figs rolled in cracked black pepper and packed in a container with bay leaves for a week, a recipe we took from Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating. Lavender's a popular choice as well, and we think that the baked figs with lavender honey ice cream in Chez Panisse Fruit would be a perfect way to end a casual dinner.