Before this weekend I had never eaten fresh figs.
Yes, I was a fresh fig virgin.
Sure, I'd had my share of Fig Newtons and dried figs, not to be mistaken for human ears, as in "The Colonel," by Carolyn Forche. And at this very moment I have a jar of fig preserves in the fridge, to spread on toast.
But I had never eaten fresh figs. I had only seen pictures, as in the painting above, by
Jonathan Koch. Fresh fig on table top, right of strawberry.
Oh. My. God.
You can see why people get upset with Jesus for smiting the fig tree, and you can see why Jesus got upset with the fig tree for not having any fresh figs on it!
Pausing to breathe in. Breathe out. And to say:
Edna St. Vincent Millay.
A Few Figs from Thistles.
OK. Many thanks to Jan, who brought fresh figs from Fresh Market to the poetry workshop this weekend. I will remember you forever.
Many thanks to Jonathan Koch, who lets me use his paintings in my blog. Many thanks to Wikimedia for the public domain/free use fig images. This fabulous fig cutaway is by Rainer Zenz, who says we can have it! Oh. My. God.
Aren't they just wonderful! And they can be used in so many different recipes. Fig jam on a pork roast or salmon or toast, stuffed figs....
ReplyDeleteAs I like to say, Who gnu?
ReplyDeleteFresh figs with brie on French bread is OMG-squared!
ReplyDeleteDo you know Michelle's poem?
ReplyDeletehttp://peonymoon.wordpress.com/2009/04/12/michelle-mcgranes-thirteen-ways-with-figs/
Better late than never on the figs. I haven't had them as often as I might have and should probably do something to rectify that soon!
ReplyDeleteKim, when can we do this?
ReplyDeleteDale, I have now. Oh. My. God.
Seana, indeed. And indeed!
I've never had figs before. You're saying I should never try them because they're gross, right? :)
ReplyDeleteOh, Luda, once you have had a fresh fig, you will never turn back.
ReplyDeleteWhy haven't you people ever had figs?! Is it just that I'm a Californian and have had more exposure?
ReplyDeleteBy the way, you remind me that there is a very good novel called The Fig Eater, although I see that not everyone liked it over at Good Reads. Maybe you'll like it more if you read it while eating figs. Couldn't hurt.
Yes, Seana, you probably have figs for the picking there, yes?! Not here, alas.
ReplyDeleteBut now I know!
The trouble is, I used to have a ficus! As a houseplant! It is, it turns out, a fig. But a non-bearing fig.
I yearn for mangoes, figs, and papayas in my own back yard.
Maybe a large greenhouse...
ReplyDeleteYes!!
ReplyDeleteAauughh. I'll get right on that, er, right after the fulltime job with benefits...or huge lottery win! I did achieve the home made compost bin from old garbage can, and it is going well and smelling, oddly, really good.
Thanks to the coffee grounds.
No figs were harmed in the making of that compost bin!
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could build a very small greenhouse for a very small fig tree and kind of go from there.
ReplyDeleteI saw your post about the compost bin and congratulate you. I rent a studio in someone else's backyard, so I don't really have that option, but I salute you.
Thanks, Seana! I feel saluted.
ReplyDeleteI just visited a friend who has a kind of bay window mini-greenhouse area off his kitchen big enough for an herb garden, so that might indeed be a way to get started!
Ah, fresh figs are heaven. No question. And as you point out and vividly demonstrate, little works of art. Welcome to fresh figdom!
ReplyDelete