fig

We were approaching Point Fermin, where Meals pointed out the serene magnificence of a Moreton Bay fig tree that threw an acre of shade and cooled a refreshing salt-air breeze.

A blooming pink jasmine frames the porch, and a quick-growing Sierra fig tree they got from the city for free will soon provide shade and fruit at the northeast edge of the front yard.

I’ve loved the recipes so far — a triple apple snacking cake, those fig jam hand pies — because they’re the kind of sweets that can happen on a Tuesday.

The filling is jammy and rich, jarred fig jam brightened with chopped dates and an almost scandalous amount of orange zest, so every mouthful tastes like autumn sunlight and just a hint of mischief.

Over the next month on The Bite, Salon’s food newsletter, I’ll share four recipes that celebrate autumn produce — apples, pumpkin, pears and figs — each designed for weeknights, with store-bought shortcuts where they make sense.