Gettin' Figgy With It

The common fig (Ficus carica) is probably the first plant cultivated by mankind. Recently it was reported in the journal Science that fossilized figs dating from 9400-9200 B.C. were found in the early Neolithic village Gilgal I in the Jordan Valley. The Romans counted figs as an important part of their diet. And today, figs are enjoyed both fresh and dried, eaten out of hand or in jams or Newtons. :)

My dad was the one to introduce me to figs, he being a fan of things different and exotic. (Ok, so maybe figs don't seem so exotic, but keep in mind that I come from an ethnic Polish family, both of my parents being first-generation Americans. The most popular dried fruit in my household was the prune.) There was always a bag of dried figs in the house, and often a jar of fig and walnut preserves as well. It wasn't until I was in my late 20s that I encountered a fresh fig. I found its appearance to be rather, er, sexual. But I ate it, and it was good, and I've loved them ever since.

The tastiest figs I ever had were purchased at Pike Place Market in Seattle. My husband and I were looking for lunch ideas when we were offered a taste of a fresh fig by one of the produce vendors. We bought a pint of them, a chunk of Sally Jackson hard goat cheese, and some bread, and took it back to our hotel room for an afternoon feast. And other things....

The scent of a fig can be described as green, fruity, woodsy, and somehow both sweet and dry at the same time. There's a handful of figgy fragrances out there, and here are two I've encountered recently.

Parfums de Nicolai
Fig Tea Eau Fraiche
Notes: fig, osmanthus, davana, tea

This eau fraiche opens with a very sweet, overripe fig and a cup of green tea. There's also a vague apricot scent lingering in the background, from the osmanthus, and a vanilliac warmth in the drydown. Fig Tea is in danger of teetering on the brink of being too sweet, but it is a very pleasing fragrance and will be ideal to wear in the Spring, when the first bits of warmth creep into the air, or in the winter, when one longs for warmer climes. I find this scent has a good lasting power on my skin, but YMMV.

L'Artisan Parfumeur
Premier Figuier
Notes: fig, fig leaf, milk of almond, sandalwood, coconut

A softly green and woody fragrance, redolent of not-quite-ripe figs mellowed by a splash of almond milk. The scent of both the fruit and the bark are well-represented here. The coconut and sandalwood whisper gently in the background, neither making its presence known in an obvious manner, but tempering the figginess. Compared to Fig Tea, a very sweet fig, Premier Figuier is on the drier end of the spectrum.

tags: reviews