Leaf of the Day: Figs and Grapes

I was going to have a day off today as I do have some other projects on the go, but just checked up on the course schedule and realised that the fruit submission date is looming. So this week my rule is, "Less prose ... more paint" and I will try just to paint fruit this week. But, today here are delicious figs and grapes, two fabulous foods with centuries of history, legend, cultivation and of course , recipes. I could happily write a short novel for each of them, they are such wonderful things.
My favourite breakfast is, fresh figs, Greek yogurt and honey. Food of the Gods. These are Black Mission figs. Sadly I don't have a leaf to go with them. They are dainty figs, small and quite round and generally very dark. They are beautifully sweet and have to be eaten very quickly!
If I was back in Andalucia now I would be serving them with wafer thin slices of the best buttery jamon serrano from the "pata negra" pigs, and a rich arteseano manchego sheep's cheese drizzled with olive oil. Some almonds and olives on the side, warm newly made bread and a glass of crisp chilled fino to accompany. Just gorgeous.

Fruit of course does not have to be the edible variety but there are quite a few fruits at the Gardens at the moment and I don't think I have painted many of the edible varieties before. They are a challenge for painting texture and shine, sometimes there are watery seeds, pitted surfaces and odd shapes. There are some beautiful colours too. The little red grapes were fun to do and good practise for watercolour. At the moment I am just going to sketch and make colour notes of what I can find in the fridge and might make some more detailed work later, but I am not at all sure what to do for the finished piece yet.
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Figs and Grapes