Figs are one of the most glorious of late summer and fall fruits. They are also one of the hardiest fruit trees to grow in a home orchard, as they are impervious to most diseases and seem to thrive with a minimum of fuss. Ripe figs are relatively fragile and don’t ship well, which means that in markets we frequently see underripe, disappointingly flavorless fruit. With a fig tree in your own yard, you can pick the fruit perfectly ripe and bring it directly into your kitchen. Since fresh figs lose a bit of their intensity during the cooking process, I combine them with dried figs when making a stuffing or a sauce to ensure the fig flavor is manifest. This special-occasion dish, Fig-Glazed and Fig-Stuffed Pork Rib Roast, boasts both a glaze and a pan sauce.