I mentioned to my producer that early October is fig harvest time. He said, "I guess that explains the figs all over the ground in my back yard."

That pretty much sums up our relationship with this under-appreciated fruit. And yet figs are a rich part of human history.

They are the most often mentioned fruit in the bible. We must assume there was a fig tree in the Garden of Eden since Adam and Eve wore fig leaves, and the fig is thought by many to be the "forbidden fruit." Laurels of figs were given to the first winners of the Olympic games.

However, when you show a fig to a group of people these days, a surprising number of them will fail to identify the historic fruit.

Organic farmers Alex and Eva Nemeth grow several varieties of fig on their Leucadia farm, and they urge people to rediscover this wonderful treat.

Eva served our crew appetizers of a fig wedge, a sliver of white cheese wrapped with spiced Italian ham. The combination of sweet fruit, sharp cheese and salted meat is wonderful.

Another favorite is fig jam. Here is one of my favorite recipes:

2 pounds soft, ripe figs any kind
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced lemon zest
2 cups sugar

First, chop the figs into a coarse mixture and combine them with the water in a saucepan. Turn the stove on medium and simmer. Cook until the figs turn into a thick sauce like consistency. It takes 10-15 minutes.

Add the lemon juice, zest and sugar, and increase the heat to medium-high. Stir and cook until a candy thermometer shows 220 F, another 10-15 minutes should do.

The jam is ready when the jam flows from a spoon in a single sheet or stream. It should not plop in individual drops.

You'll need hot, sterilized canning jars with lids. Ladle the mixture into the jars and put the caps on tightly. Make certain the lids seal. The center should suck in and look a bit concave. If the seal's fail you can still use the jam, but keep it in the refrigerator and use these jars first.

Store the sealed jars in a dark cupboard. Once opened they should be kept in the refrigerator and will keep for about a month.

For more information about figs, visit the California Fig Advisory Board Web Site.