Figs, Peaches, and… Meatballs

As summer fades, giving way to the coming fall, the last of the succulent figs make their way to local tables. In Rome, they call the last harvest fichi settembrini (September figs) and they’re considered the best, perhaps because they’ll soon be gone. Some of the best fig dishes are savory ones. At Forno Campo de’ Fiori, a legendary bakery and pizzeria in Rome, slices of their pizza bianca with sweet, juicy figs and delicate, salty prosciutto draw long lines. You think you know how good a fig can be until you try this combination, and then you’re spoiled forever. Our Prosciutto Fig Primo is inspired by this quintessential Roman pie and the last of the ripe local figs. Farm-fresh figs and premium prosciutto go over creamy, fresh mozzarella on an olive oil base. Out of the oven, we finish the pie with fresh basil.

For our second seasonal, we turn to New York’s Italian American meatball sub for influence. Think rich, saucy, and unapologetically messy. Our Meatball Marinara features tender Sicilian-style meatballs made by Seattle’s Cascioppo Sausage over a gooey layer of mozzarella cheese with dollops of fresh ricotta on a base of crushed Italian tomatoes. We finish it with a drizzle of tangy marinara sauce and grated Parmesan.

Molly Moon’s Peaches & Cream, our seasonal dessert, features another end-of-summer treat. Locally grown peaches from Yakima-area farms, some of the tastiest peaches you’ll find anywhere, arrive by the case in Molly Moon’s scoop shop kitchens. They cook the peaches into a thick, syrupy jam with chunks of fresh fruit, then fold generous spoonfuls into their rich blend of local cream, milk, and sugar. Fruit this good asks for very little company, so the peaches get the spotlight to themselves. A pint-sized last blast of summer.