Early figs: How to choose, store and prepare

For the most part, figs are a late summer crop, coming at the end of August into October. But for many varieties, there is a very small early harvest as well, called breba figs. While most figs grow on new branches, breba figs grow on branches that developed last season. Connoisseurs debate whether these figs are sweeter than fruit from the main harvest. The rest of us are just happy to have them available.