A tree grows in Brooklyn. A fig tree to be exact and it shares the terrace with Marie and a Frenchman and a big black Dominican cat at 66 Square Feet. There is also room for David Austin roses and herbs and blueberries and perennials and annuals of every scent and color.
To celebrate her 3 years of blogging, Marie held a contest to see who could guess how many figs were growing on the little "4 feet wide by 33 inches tall" tree. Long story and many comments later, we won. We won a fantastic cookbook by Davis Tanis, "a platter of figs and other recipes". It's beautiful, it's seasonal and it's simple. Proving, as we all know, that if your ingredients are fresh and ripe you don't need to do much to make a perfect meal.
As I'm writing , I'm paging through the book and my mind says yes! to every picture I see. Cherry-Almond Clafoutis, yes! Grilled eggplant paste, yes! Also Marie has peppered the book with post-its saying yesss to her favorite recipes (she's apparently licked some pages and drooled over others but I'm determined not to mention that here). Bottom line: there is a cacophony of agreement here.
The book will be taking its first vacation with us at the beach on Fire Island in July. All we do there is cook, eat, read and talk about our next meal, so it will be a welcome guest.
Again, a big thank you from our hearts and our stomachs. Oh, and from our mother of all figs, fig tree.
How perfectly divine..! The photo, your words, the book. I'm loving it all this morning. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHope you are well, dear.
xoox,
-maria
Yay! Your post's title got my attention very quickly in the sidebar on my blog :-)Sorry about the drooling, nothing a little wipe with a tissue can't fix.
ReplyDeleteWhere on Fire Island do you stay? We might be in the hood, then...Not that I'm implying anything...
Maria, good morning! nice to hear from you. All is well except for the ##*** heat. But you have it too... glad you're enjoying your summer.
ReplyDeleteMarie, We are in the Pines, the week of the 5th. And you? Wouldn't that be fun? And we bring the Lab!
Looks like Marie isn't the only one with a great fig tree. We'll be in your neck o'the woods while you are in Marie's. Happy vacation!
ReplyDeleteWe have four fig trees - they are the most coveted fruit here. So delicious. I should get this book, but honestly, we just eat them right off the tree - they never make it to the house, let alone a recipe. One day, when we get more than 67 figs.
ReplyDeleteI am going to try and find that book :)
ReplyDeleteI love that book! I bought it for myself for my birthday : )
ReplyDeleteFire Island is paradise. Have a lovely time xo
ReplyDelete