Thursday, September 11, 2008

An Ode to Figs


Those of you who know me well might want to skip this post altogether, because I'm about to wax rhapsodic about my favorite fruit and one of my favorite foods: the fig.

For years now, I've been eating dried figs every day, usually on their own, but sometimes baked into French tarts (with fig pastry cream and paired with grapefruit wedges on top); sliced and placed on top of bread spread with mascarpone cheese and garnished with fresh basil leaves; or (perhaps my favorite) stuffed with walnuts and baked in vin santo, honey and some orange zest.

The real treat, of course, is the unparalleled fresh fig - proof that despite the madness in our world, the pleasures of this Good Green Earth can make us remember that life is full of deep joy.

"Why now?" you might be asking with impatience. "Why does he blather on about his obsession on this particular day? "

Mostly, because my hubby sent me a link to a story on NPR about the fresh fig.

Also, because one of my favorite vendors at the farmer's market told me that she would have figs this coming Sunday. I plan to be there before the 9 a.m. opening bell so I can sweep them up by the bucketful.

For someone with Italian roots and someone who is a deeply sensual person, this fruit is an orgiastic culmination of what life has to offer.

So, as a spell of indulgence and pleasure, I challenge all of you to go out and buy fresh or dried figs and eat them daily, perhaps chanting some mantra to sensual delights or allowing the flavor, downright naughty texture and juiciness to be the prayer itself.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love figs too! We have some fig trees on the property on Drayton Island where we are renovating the 1880 house. The wild animals there always manage to eat them before I do. :O

I did a piece in a series with figs in it (all symbolic, of course).
Here is the link. The title is Wasp Moon. I am madly in love with the moon, and I collect wasps nests (yes, I Know I am strange..no denial from me. eh,eh,eh)
Anyway here is the link be forewarned it is a dark piece.

http://island11.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/wasp-moon1.jpg

Do you see the mask (symbolic self portrait) in it? Most people do no see it at first.

The more I read your posts the more I see connections! :)

Good and creative energies to you and yours!

Anonymous said...

Somehow the link ended up at the bottom of the comment. I am so technically challenged. :(
So here it is again just in case I messed up the link.

http://island11.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/wasp-moon1.jpg

I enjoy your posts very much!

~g-h

Greg Fletcher-Marzullo said...

Thank you, so much, Gypsy Heart. I really like the Wasp Moon piece. The color in it is so delightfully unexpected in a piece with figs which usually go another direction.

I also see webs in the picture, which, of course, I'm totally into.

Thank you, again!!!!!