How did we miss this? We must have subconsciously chosen to ignore it.

Known as the "fruit of the gods," figs are in season now, but they're nothing new. In season from from June to early Fall, the sweet fruit were used by the Greeks as signs of prosperity and for early Olympic training. For the food nerds among us, a mini fig tutorial.

We could eat an entire bowl of it, and in fact, this weekend we will.

This recipe grew out of a need to satisfy cravings for my favorite childhood cookie.

Attilio Poli is standing tall in the asphalt drive of his back yard. He's gazing at his fig trees and grapevines, but there's a faraway look in his eyes that takes him all the way to Venice.

A thin layer of almond paste compliments the sweetness of the figs, as well as lining the dough to keep it from getting soggy from the filling.