get figgy with it
Recipe: prosciutto-wrapped figs
Day four of NaBloWriMo and I haven’t flubbed it up yet!
I’m home at last, and while I love love love exploring the natural beauty of Colorado, I love even more how good it feels to be home. This was an excellent scouting trip – not much of a shooting trip. Jeremy kept telling me that he was sorry this road trip didn’t have much in the way of colors (or even leaves for that matter), but I kept replying, “It’s okay, I got a lot of good opportunities earlier in the week.” I suppose it’s hard to imagine how good it was just four days ago when all of the stands are gray and devoid of color now. Now I can finally sit down to do some serious processing. Beth sent me some of her pics from the shoot. We had such a good time.
hard not to smile when you catch the aspens at the right time (courtesy beth bartel)
We shot from sun up to sun down, in the heat and in the freezing cold, we clambered up steep forested slopes and ate a lot of dust on dirt backroads. I’ve learned a great deal about getting the shot over the past several years and I continue to learn with each season, with each time I press the shutter release. The process is becoming more and more rewarding. I hope you are enjoying some of these captures as well.
aspens seem to make their own light
caught just before the storms
waves of color
Before September became officially INSANE, I shot several recipes to tide urb over until my schedule eased up a little. I’m looking at these pictures and realizing that figs are most likely on their way out for most of us if not completely gone. That’s too bad, but just keep this in mind for whenever you can get your greedy little paws on some fresh figs again.
fresh figs are a gazillion times better than dried figs (i eat those too)
This recipe requires no cooking, almost no thought, and minimal coordination. It is so easy to prepare and yet so mind-blowingly good that I’m always surprised I can fight the urge to lock everyone out on the deck while I sit down and consume the entire plate myself.
slice the prosciutto into strips
Admittedly, half the reason for serving up anything with fresh figs is that they are a beautiful and sensuous food. The velvety skin delicately gives way to an internal structure that looks like a painting. If they weren’t so delightful to eat, I might stare at them all day.
quarters
I wrap a few strips of prosciutto around each quarter and call it an easy peasy appetizer. This is where the quality of the ingredients shines through, so do yourself a favor and get the good stuff. It is definitely one of my favorite combinations of salty and sweet and it’s beautiful all on its own.
cross my heart
bite-size morsels
Prosciutto-Wrapped Figs
[print recipe]
fresh figs, quartered
prosciutto, thinly sliced and cut into strips
Wrap one or two strips of prosciutto around each fig quarter. Serve. [Oh, that was so simple it’s practically cheating.]
October 5th, 2009 at 12:21 am
You are right, the aspens do give out their own colors! Gorgeous! Cheering you on for this month of daily posts!
October 5th, 2009 at 12:22 am
Mmmmmmm, so good! Gorgeous photos! :)
October 5th, 2009 at 12:58 am
That feeling of home is precisely why people like me love coming back to a place like Manila even though instead of natural beauty, we have chaotic insanity in its place! :) I am loving the shots as always- I love seeing people’s offices ;)
Unfortunately, there is no fig season here (I know the plants grow here, but the figs are minuscule and virtually inedible), but I’d still love to try it!
October 5th, 2009 at 2:08 am
Those are such beautiful landscape pictures! I wish I was as talented as you…
A great way of preparing figs.
Cheers,
Rosa
October 5th, 2009 at 3:40 am
The view through your lens is once again breathtaking. Jeremy is really such a sweetheart, isn’t he??
October 5th, 2009 at 5:06 am
Love the aspens. And the figs look pretty darn good too.
October 5th, 2009 at 6:36 am
Pahahahaha. Cute recipe. Question… do you eat the fig skin…?
October 5th, 2009 at 6:44 am
gorgeous figs and equally gorgeous aspen trees too.
October 5th, 2009 at 7:12 am
What a gorgeous post! I love love love prosciutto wrapped figs (and sneak a little cheese in there, too!). Nice seeing your smile on a dreary Monday morning! :)
October 5th, 2009 at 7:48 am
Your pictures are lovely. I’ve never had fresh figs–must give them a try!
October 5th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Your second, “caught just before the storm,” is one of my favorite photographs EVER. The depth, the color, the sky, the variation – light and cloud shadow on the ground. I am in love!
October 5th, 2009 at 8:04 am
Jen, amazing photos as always. And so good to see you having fun and happy.
About figs and prosciutto… yum! And with some blue cheese… yummier!
October 5th, 2009 at 8:09 am
I love the way the clouds create shadows and add to the variety of color on the landscape. Beautiful, Jen!
October 5th, 2009 at 8:13 am
Colorful Colorado–even more gorgeous through your lens.
October 5th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Your photo’s are always so breath taking!
thank you for sharing your experience!
October 5th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Those are my favorite trees!
October 5th, 2009 at 9:43 am
It’s nice to see the woman behind the fab blog.
October 5th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Oh so gorgeous, the colors, the textures the perfect capture of the season! You definitely are an ambassador to beautiful Colorado—–become a real estate agent, cause we’ll all move there and buy houses from you!!
And the glorious figs, simple and stunning!
October 5th, 2009 at 10:39 am
beautiful photos–the colors of the fall are so wonderfully captured!
October 5th, 2009 at 10:40 am
“get figgy with it” Hilarious! I am so jealous. I have NO access to fresh figs where I live and I LOVE them. I am considering buying a plant and growing my own! Sad to say, even proscuitto is rare in this area. I have to travel to the big city an hour + away. Enjoy one (or a plate) for me.
October 5th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Beautiful photos. I remember visiting Golden, Colorado many years ago and the night sky was so beautiful. So clear and tons of stars. You don’t see that many stars in the sky here at night. Love fresh figs. I never, ever eat the fried ones. I grew up with fig trees, so there is nothing like a fresh one!
October 5th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Those look so good! We had a harvest moon party at our house on Saturday, and a (gourmet god) friend brought warmed figs stuffed with goat cheese and thyme. Amazing.
Figs are a revelation.
October 5th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
i’ve never seen and wanted fresh figs until now!
October 5th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Mmmm figs, I love them. Out of season here but I’ve seen them in the shops and was told they have been held in cold storage. I’ll wait for fresh ones. In the meantime I’m eating my proscuitto with melon. Might try Tami’s suggestion of adding a little cheese. I also like proscuitto with persimmon.
October 5th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
such gorgeous photos!! and fresh figs… be still my beating heart :)
October 6th, 2009 at 12:52 am
I bet you hear this all the time, but your photography is just unbelievably stunning!!!! As for the figs, I can think of no better snack myself, maybe a log of goat’s cheese on the side!!!
October 6th, 2009 at 1:27 am
hi Jen, I’ve been your silent reader for almost a year. Just want to tell you that those photos are absolutely Awesome and you’re talented!!! oh yea, many wonderful recipes as well :-)
October 6th, 2009 at 7:16 am
I’m in love with aspens. It’s official. And fresh figs, although Wisconsin has a distressing dearth of both. I guess I’ll stick with hundreds of types of apples, tart cherries, and lots of cheese :)
October 6th, 2009 at 7:49 am
I love the picture of you – pure happiness! What other emotion could there be in that landscape?!
We may not have those views in California, but we still have figs! I rarely do anything with them, we can’t pick enough from our friends’ trees to have leftovers after we get our fill! I may have to sneak a few home though, the prosciutto and figs looks delicious!
October 6th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Glorious photos! I also wrap figs in prosciutto, but first I stuff the fig with a little goat cheese. For some reason it reminds me of cream cheese and jelly that I used to eat a child. It’s comforting.
October 6th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
You are right about fresh figs…unfortunately they don’t grow where I live :( I guess that makes them all the more sweet when I do have them abroad! :)
Those aspens are gorgeous! Lucky you to live amongst such beauty!
October 7th, 2009 at 7:06 am
Such a beautiful view. I LOVE figs but they don’t grow where I am right now.
Your blog is truly an inspiration. Thank you.
October 9th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Sorry kiddles, it’s been tough for me to keep up with the posting, but nearly impossible for me to keep up with the comments! I’m trying to reign it in before I fall further behind :) Thanks everyone, I’m really happy that you are enjoying the photos. It was gorgeous out there.
Mark – that’s so odd!! Curious why they never grow big enough to eat? Wonder if the edible figs can be grown there?
Rosa – my dear, you are very very talented.
Allie – yes! it’s edible :)
tami – xxoo
Sil – thank you, you’re so sweet!
Barbara – oh persimmon! I hadn’t thought of that. GREAT idea!! xxoo
Michelle – thanks for de-lurking :) We promise not to bite!! Lovely lovely lovely hearing from silent readers. xxoo
October 12th, 2009 at 3:26 am
read this and thought you might like it:
http://xkcd.com/648/
October 19th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Nate – that is hilarious!
November 6th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
ooooh my goodness!!! The picts made me really hungry now at wee hours :-( Your picts are so lovely !!! Thank you for sharing. Now, I’m going to add figs into my shopping list. Just read a brochure from a local wholesaler that they’re having promotion sales on Turkish Figs!