Time to feast on figs

Fig Vincotto - the perfect accompaniment for fresh oysters. Photo / Warren Buckland

It's time to feast on figs and the best place to do that in Hawke's Bay is The Figgery Cafe and Shop on Napier Rd.

The cabinets are full with the most delicious fig food, sweet and savoury, there are fresh figs to try and buy and that's just the tip of the figgery.

The latest product owners Murray Douglas and wife Helen Walker have produced is an absolutely outstanding Fig Vincotto — the perfect accompaniment for fresh oysters.

"We initially made it for Farro in Auckland, now we send it all around the world," Douglas said.

"It's an ancient recipe starting with our fig molasses, which is pure figs. It's exclusive to us and so nice with yoghurt or your porridge.

"To this we add Hawke's Bay Ridge grapes which are picked, crushed and frozen so there is no fermenting. This makes our vincotto — a recipe that has been around for thousands of years and makes a mouth-watering drizzle, which can be used be used on any number of salads, seafood, pasta dishes — you name it."

The Figgery Cafe at 205 Napier Road, Havelock North, is open seven days a week.

The fig vincotto. It is packed with so much flavour it lingers on your pallette. Naturally delicious.

Douglas says the fig vincotto goes well with any shellfish and "once you start using it you find yourself adding it to all sorts of dishes".

Te Mata Figs is right in the middle of its picking season so it's all go. I visited on a Monday and the cafe was busy with people dining in, drinking coffee and tasting figs.

The pickers were busy in the orchard and I could smell the most lovely aroma coming from the factory where they make their products.

"Our picking season lasts around six weeks. Last year we had our best season but this year has surpassed that. The weather has been perfect for us and in reality figs are easy to grow that's why lots of people used to have them in their backyard.

"We don't irrigate, spray or fertilise so our crop is very much dependent on the weather. This year the volume and quality of the fruit is really good."

Douglas cut a large green fig open for me to try. It looked as if it was full of jam. It was succulent and sweet and tasted so good. You can buy them fresh from the cafe or the Farmers Market on Sunday at the HB Showgrounds.

"We are extraordinarily delighted with the amount of local support we have had. It's been incredible," Douglas said.

All the food at The Figgery Cafe is gluten free. "It's all very normal and tasty food."

You will also find all the delicious fig products from fig jam to salame di fichi — one of my favourites.

The cafe is at 205 Napier Rd, Havelock North and is open seven days a week, Monday to Friday 7.30am - 5pm and Saturday and Sunday 9.30am to 4pm.