image courtesy eatthis.com
I had a glorious week in California last week. I am homesick for it now, especially as I see my friends Michael and Sharon are in La Jolla, and Helen and Ed are doing a wine harvest – and, ugh, it all looks so glorious! I was just aching to keep driving up the coast to Santa Barbara and on to Napa and Sonoma. I think it is at its absolute best at this time of year. I am already making mental notes for my next trip!
Anyway, this brings me to a little story about figs. This is another in my stories of nostalgia involving my Mom. This one clearly illustrates how one’s first introduction to a particular food item can make the most indelible impression on you – one that may carry on for decades!
When I was a kid, I often noticed my Mom eating things which seemed not just unappealing to me, but were more like downright repulsive looking. This included dried figs, dates and prunes. This was one of the very few if not only things I ever noticed about my Mom which was incongruent to all I knew and loved about her. I really could never find it within myself to indulge in these, what I considered to be rather disgusting-looking food items, but she loved them. I actually can not recall ever seeing fresh figs in our house, but they may have been.
Anyway, my Mom continued to snack on these items throughout my childhood and I continued to keep my distance from them, not once ever having even a sample. Years and years later, when I was pregnant with Christin, my doctor suggested I eat figs and I tried to follow her suggestion. The memory of trying a dried fig and my reaction to it is forever etched in my mind. Needless to say, I have not tried a dried fig again, ever, since that moment approximately 27 years ago. In the interest of good taste, I won’t characterize my reaction of that moment here.
Fast forward and we all know figs have become a prized ingredient of chefs everywhere in the contemporary landscape. They are coveted in savory and sweet dishes and chronicled as such all over, every Summer – not to mention they make for great photography. In this regard, may I suggest you travel over to visit the site of Paulette Tavormina – http://www.paulettetavormina.com. I think her work is extraordinary and her visual acuity is nothing short of amazing. You won’t be sorry. Gosh, I wish I had this talent and further, that I could paint these images! Oh well, that’s not going to happen any time soon. (I can see myself in old age, however, sitting outside a farmhouse in Tuscany, grey and unkempt hair, saggy skin and loose and comfortable clothes, with paintbrush in hand. This indeed is what I hope to do when I am bordering on instability and infirmity, but I digress……).
here is just one of her images – of figs and morning glories – jeez was she thinking of me when she did this? honestly, this doesn’t translate well – so go to her site to take a look. (image courtesy of Paulette Tavormina). Love, Love, Love !
Anyway, back to the fig story. So, every year when we get to mid-Summer I begin to see the recipes with figs come into play, along with the comments by chefs about how enamored, if not obsessed they are and excited by the season. In my heart and in my head, I have always looked at these images in a somewhat leery mode, observing and allowing a smidgeon of appreciation for the idolatry, but nevertheless steering clear.
Of course, figs have always been a staple in Italy and many people have their own trees. Still, this didn’t tempt me, although I will admit to some ongoing consideration of the fact that I found the Italian palate to seldom be wrong in its overall sensibility. I read an article recently about people growing their own figs in NYC too – I think it was in Brooklyn. It would seem that this is something akin to an obsession, and even though I could see this passion for figs, I could not, until last Friday, bring myself to even take a taste. I actually can’t think of a whole lot of food items that I have this strong of an aversion to. So, I was dining at Capo in Santa Monica and ordered the duck breast entrée. With it came, actually as a garnish, a little arrangement of sautéed figs. I decided I’d just have to see what the excitement was all about. I can’t exactly say I was blown away by the taste – like it wasn’t the most amazing thing I’d ever tasted, but I was definitely impressed and drawn in. The figs were indeed delicious and luxuriously so. Something unique and memorable – and certainly not the offensive texture and taste I recalled from that day in the kitchen 27 years ago.
So, of course, inspired by this one dinner, and inquiring and experimenting cook that I am, home I went and off to seek out a supply of figs to try for myself. I snagged a small basket of figs this week at my local farm and incorporated them into my dish one night this week. I have to say that the figs themselves didn’t hold a candle to the ones from California. But, I won’t be deterred. I’m heading into the city in a few minutes to the farmer’s market and I will see if there are any there. I know we are at the end of the season here so I hope to get lucky.
my lemon chicken thighs with figs (recipe to follow)
In any event, this goes to show that it is never too late to try something new – even something you firmly think you don’t and won’t like. Now I have a whole new avenue to pursue in my cooking and baking. Being that I adore cooking with fruit in the savory kitchen anyway, this opens up a whole new repertoire for me. And, of course, in the sweet kitchen, I will be welcoming them in as well. Jeez, and all these years have gone by without figs in my kitchen……..
Here are some recipes to try:
BAKED BRIE WITH FIGS
INGREDIENTS
one wheel of brie cheese, cut into quarters
2 figs, cut into quarters
2 tablespoons of honey
DIRECTIONS
1.Place the wheel of Brie topped with figs into an oven, preheated at 325F. Bake for 6 minutes.
2.Pour 2 tablespoons of the honey over the Brie, and bake for 4 additional minutes.
http://food52.com/recipes/1014-fichi-caramellati-caramelized-figs
I’ve got to run off now. I will continue my sojourn into the world of fig recipes soon. Send me your favorites!