Gluten-Free Girl

I've recently discovered Shauna's blog, Gluten-Free Girl. It's a blog that both celebrates a gluten-free diet as well as Shauna's culinary adventures. I found myself going back to this post several times today, because quite frankly, the only time I've had a fig was in a Newton. It's been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and Shauna's food photography is as tantalizing and colorful and textured as the food she talks about.

I guess you could say my Inner Foodie was intrigued.

In this post of hers on 27 August, she tempts us with a platter of split figs dabbled with some goat cheese that are toasted briefly under the broiler until the cheese is melty, bubbly, and browned.

Christa made these broiled figs often in the penthouse apartment. Madamde CFP loved them. And so did I. Ridiculously easy to make, they tasted decadent, like gourmet candy and expensive restaurants at the same time. So I put little dabs of leftover goat cheese on the figs I had sliced in half, then put the tray under the broiler. Five minutes later, and I was sighing with pleasure as I ate. Softly sweet, with a crunch of seeds, everything melting into one, the smooth taste of goat cheese spreading into the sweetness, and all of it over in thirty seconds. But the taste lingers and fingers its way down to my stomach. I'm happy and absolutely awake.

I decided that I HAD to try this recipe today.

I don't even know if you can call it a "recipe," since it seems way too simple. But perhaps that's the idea: Food doesn't have to be elaborately prepared for to it to have meaning - what's important are the memories you associate with the food, be it the first time you tried it, or a special meal out with the significant other, whatever.

So I tried to create some fig memories - of experimentation - tonight. I tried one fig with brie (as the original recipe suggests) and one fig with dabs of chevre. And I have to say, the chevre wins out in my book. The creamy and mildly tart cheese is the perfect complement to the fig's natural sweetness, which is only heightened when you broil it.


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