With your hands, pull California dried figs gently into their original
shape, smoothing out wrinkles and perking up stems. With a sharp, small
knife, slit the smoothest side of the figs. Stuff them plump and full
with any of the following goodies:
* half of mint or wintergreen cream patties
* half of chocolate covered mint patties
* salted nuts
* toasted walnut meats
* marshmallow, slit, with piece of chocolate tucked into it
* wedge of candied ginger
* ground nuts mixed with honey
* fondant
* ground or chopped salted peanuts mixed with peanut butter
* blanched almonds, dried slowly in oven
* candied cherry
* chunk of candied pineapple
Arrange these good-to-eat and good-to-look-at figs on pretty tray. Place
candle into a stem-clipped fig, which will serve happily as candle stick.
Conversation piece -- and pièce de resistance!
Source: 48 Family Favorites with California Figs
Reprinted with the permission of The California Fig Advisory Board
Electronic format courtesy of Karen Mintzias
