Tuesday, August 19, 2014

The Fig

ABC Wednesday
The letter is F and F is for Fig

A recipe for enjoying this most ancient of fruits. - a gift of pleasure and necessity to humans and wildlife alike;
a main role player in the story of Adam and Eve (with what would they have covered themselves if the fig leaf had not been available? Rhubarb?  I think not.) and in my memory a wonderful delicacy at Christmas time.




The purple, green and white hues,
Tender, succulent.

Cato advocated the conquest of Carthage
to make them the property of Rome.

Sliced on plate, balsamic vinegar
drizzled across their mauve interiors
wrapped in prosciutto di Parma,
as a babe in its blanket,
diced and spread within the salads of the garden
on a platter with goat cheese, thin crackers,
dried,

with sweet spices, ginger, cinnamon and cloves,
the sharpness of lemon and orange,
figs and ricotta crostini,
grilled with some tenderness
sprinkled with olive oil,

vanilla pistachio fig tart,

all of this, yet I prefer to sit beneath the tree
my white handkerchief unwrapped
my harvest nestled in my lap
my mind at ease
the fig -
thankful that God did not deign this tree
the forbidden one.

Ray Brown





For more entertainment and to find out things you never knew, pop over here to ABC Wednesday, with many thanks to Roger and Denise and everyone who helps them visit....

13 comments:

Kate said...

Figs are so delicious. Fun to half and add goat cheese.

Photo Cache said...

figs are so yummy. it's a treat each time i have them.

ABC WEDNESDAY

Reader Wil said...

I have never eaten figs, but I can imagine how delicious they are! You describe it so well.
There must be a shop in Rotterdam, where they sell them.
Wil, ABCW Team.

Indrani said...

Beautifully written. So are the pictures.
Happy ABCW!

Gerald (SK14) said...

I'm not a lover of figs but I love that tree

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

figs are getting very popular with cooking shows and restaurants.

LindyLouMac said...

Calling by from ABC Wednesday for F, Fabulous Figs. Oh how I miss having my own tree!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Hildred we get them here in a very unripe state, buy them and take them home to ripen, but they rarely live up to expectations.

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

This is a fabulous post!

Lmkazmierczak said...

Had no idea that fig trees grew so large♪ http://lauriekazmierczak.com/firefly/

Cristina Pop said...

That big fig tree is so amazing!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

I didn't like figs when I tried them, but this recipe/poem has me thinking I must try again.

Nabanita said...

Your writing makes me want to try figs once more...really!

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