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Leaf of the Day: Figs and Grapes

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Monday 17 November 2008

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





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3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sorry I've been absent lately - super busy and not enough time to keep up with my favorite blogs, such as yours. Love the figs, I keep meaning to get a hardy fig for my garden. Not sure I can grow the black Mission ones, they are the best. Just had some yesterday, broiled with goat cheese and balsamic vinegar, yum!

17 November 2008 at 22:41  
Blogger steelystyle said...

greek yogurt, mmm. also, why don't more people/restaurants offer sherry? i think it's fantastic with food. i call for a sherry revolution! saveur magazine, get on it.

18 November 2008 at 03:08  
Blogger sharp green pencil said...

Thanks both.. figs, goats cheese, sherry, balsamic vingar, olives, nuts , tomatoes straight from the garden, basil, cumin, cilantro, fresh fruit.. you are talking my language !

18 November 2008 at 12:50  

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