A la carte
Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, October 4, 2005
This year, California is expected to experience the largest fig crop in recent history.
The harvest season, which runs until Oct. 15, is expected to yield an abundance of this under-recognized fruit, which will be used in jams, muffins and even Fig Newtons.
Here’s some fig trivia to consider:
* For many years, figs have been used in coffee substitutes.
* Figs satisfy a sweet tooth because they contain about 60 percent sugar, but contain no cholesterol, fat or sodium.
* Figs provide 20 percent of the daily recommended amount of fiber and have the highest overall mineral content of all common fruits. One 40-gram serving has 244 milligrams of potassium, 53 milligrams of calcium and 1.2 milligrams of iron.
* Fig trees have no blossoms on their branches. The blossom is the inside of the fruit, where many tiny flowers produce crunchy little seeds that give figs their unique texture.
Check www.californiafigs.com for more information.
Seasoning fish
Fish is an important part of a healthy diet and it’s generally recommended that you eat fish twice a week, according to “Mayo Clinic: Healthy Weight for Everybody.” A simple way to vary your menu is with seasonings.
Here are some seasonings that suit fish:
* Bay (seafood) seasoning
* Cajun (blackening) spice
* Dill
* Italian seasoning
* Garlic-herb blend
* Lemon pepper
* Lemon-dill seasoning
* Paprika and onion
* Teriyaki or soy sauce
* Smoke (Place fillets on untreated cedar, apple wood or maple planks, or use similar wood chips, and grill.) Seaweed or kelp also may be used).
Recipe for rhyming
Looking for inspiration in the kitchen? Try food and wine lover magnetic poetry kits.
Each kit contains more than 240 word magnets about food and wine that can be stuck to your refrigerator and rearranged as you please.
The kits are available for $9.95 at many bookstores and gourmet kitchen stores.
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