FIG

Fig is a weird fruit...and word.  If you stare at the letters long enough, it looks weird. Like an acronym almost. F.I.G. Fruit Ingestion Guideline? FIG.

And, it rhymes with...pig.  (I don't want to boast, but you can guess who rocks scrabble at our family reunions)

I would have never tasted a fig, if my dad hadn't brought some home one day.  I wasn't eager to try them.  You know how you might offer a 6-yr old to try tasting something new, but they've already sculpted the perfect skeptical expression and prepared for vomit to come up?  I was really good at making that face.

But the fig wasn't bad.  ... and I was 17. 

And now, here I am.  All grown up, able to be friends with  pigs  figs.  They are mildly sweet and a perfect "palate cleanser" dessert.  We like fruits following dinner.  Fruit is a good economical dessert option during a recession...or if you're too lazy to make a "real" dessert.  Either one.  I find it more comfortable to blame the economy instead of my lethargy.

Here's my Fruit Ingestion Guideline #1:  Use figs to impress (on a weeknight!)...

Fig Flowers

A light clean finish to a weeknight meal.

Ingredients:

6 Figs
3 Tablespoons Preserves (any flavor) - I used my Confituras Bourbon Brown Sugar Peach Preserves. See my post on Confituras Preserves
1-2 oz goat cheese

Directions:

1. Make a mound of preserves:  Drop 1/2 Tablespoon each of preserves on a plate, where you plan to place each fig flower.
2. Cut the figs: Slice the fig from the point (stem) all the way down to just above the base (not through the base).  Make another similar cut crossways, creating a quartered fig.  Gently open up the fig "flower".
3. Place the fig flower on each preserve mound.
4. Make a small goat cheese ball and place it at the center of the fig flower.  Garnish.

Alternate: You can make this an appetizer by serving these on round baguette slices.  Drop the preserves on each slice, and top with the fig flower and goat cheese.

*I apologize for my 3 week hiatus.  Thanks for coming back to read RFR.*