Apple Onion Fig Sauce

Apple Onion Fig Sauce by Easton Reed for Cheese and Roasts

Apple Onion Fig Sauce by Easton Reed is designed with the cheese board in mind. A purée of black fig, apple, and onion forms the core, balsamic vinegar and mustard provide the acidity, and black pepper delivers a spicy finish.

Apple Onion Fig Sauce is a fig and onion sauce from Easton Reed in Augsburg, bottled in 260-milliliter glass jars. Following sugar, the ingredients include black fig purée, water, apple purée, and balsamic vinegar, along with onion purée and soy sauce. Roasted onions and curry powder provide a dark savoriness that elevates it beyond a mere fruit sauce.

Dark fig over roasted onion tones

The sauce is nearly black and significantly heavier than its counterparts; when lifted with a spoon, it moves slowly. It is evident that the fruit was simmered over a long period rather than simply having sugar stirred into tomato paste.

The fig provides a sweetness reminiscent of dried fruit—grainy and warm—that lingers. The balsamic vinegar adds a dark acidity, while the roasted onion provides a savory base that prevents the sauce from becoming a simple jam.

The black pepper only appears at the very end, and the curry powder remains so far in the background that it is perceived more as warmth than as a distinct spice. Sweet, tangy, and savory—that is its structure, and heat never enters the equation.

For blue cheese, duck breast, and raclette

This sauce is the answer to the question of what is missing between a fine cheese and a slice of bread. It sits naturally alongside Gorgonzola, aged mountain cheese, and goat cheese as if it had always belonged there.

A spoonful on a crostini with cream cheese is enough for an appetizer that requires no preparation, and it serves as a dark accompaniment to duck breast, beef fillet, and roast pork, potentially replacing a traditional gravy. With raclette, it finds its place effortlessly alongside the pans, and when dissolved into a gravy, it adds both sweetness and acidity.

For something fruitier, try the Raspberry Chipotle Sauce; for something more savory, the Ribhouse BBQ Sauce. You can see the rest of the brand's offerings in the Easton Reed collection.

Black fig and balsamic go together

The black fig is a dark-skinned variety whose flesh turns deep red as it ripens, containing significantly more sugar than its green relative. This is exactly what makes it so interesting for a savory sauce, because without this sweetness, the balsamic vinegar would have nothing to balance against.

Whether dried or cooked down into a purée, this sweetness intensifies, taking on notes reminiscent of raisins and caramel. It therefore requires a counterweight, a role traditionally performed in Italy by balsamic vinegar with its concentrated grape must.

Because the vinegar brings both sweetness and acidity, the fig doesn't taste one-dimensional but gains contour. In this recipe, the fig purée accounts for 19 percent, placing it right after sugar. It was developed by Ryan's Specialties in Augsburg, and those looking for fruity companions for cheese will find them on our chutney shelf.