Fig and Brie Toast

I have had a whole month to be angry at the thoughtless thief that invaded my space. I have felt extremely down which has resulted in me taking my frustration out on others, namely my telephone provider Vodafone. I can assure you I have sulked and even mourned about the loss of precious photo's. My appetite suffered. But enough is enough. My passion for food was back the minute I spotted fresh figs on the shelves of the supermarket.
Figs: Food of the gods. Simply delicious. It is even suggested that the fig was the 'forbidden fruit' in the garden of Eden, which would make sense since Adam and Eve used fig leaves to cover their...well...'nakedness'.
On the outside they are not exactly the most attractive 'fruit', in fact rather dull looking, but cut them open to reveal a hidden exotic beauty- a luscious pink fleshy centre which actually happens to be an inverted flower! I love edible flowers.
If you have never tried fresh figs then I urge you to try them- they are nothing at all like dried figs. Give them a chance- forget the 'laxative' stigma (who else remembers 'Fig Rolls' as a child ;-) ) often associated with figs- just enjoy. The flavour is unique, delicate, sweet but not overly so. They 'marry' well with the salty taste of raw cured ham and many types of cheese like brie and goat.

The 'fruit' is packed with fiber and a good source of potassium, calcium, and iron.
Furthermore they couldn't be easier to prepare- no peeling or de-seeding necessary. Versatile too, use them as a starter, dessert: Or a salad on the side. I personally love my figs in salads.

This particular recipe is one I spotted about a year ago on the blog of Sara Mae, New York (isn't internet wonderful?). I couldn't wait to try it- and I wasn't disappointed.
A good friend spotted my photograph and couldn't wait to try it too. We had to be very patient and wait for figs to come into season by which time Sara Mae's blog was offline! Luckily the recipe was simple and thus easy to remember. Yesterday was the big day:

Fig and Brie Toast:
per person
2 thick slices of bread, I used AH Liefde & Passie Pain Tradition
Brie
1 fresh fig
extra virgin olive oil
drizzle of honey
handful mint leaves

Preparation: Wash and pat dry the mint. Slice fig(s), Slice bread. Slice brie.
Method:
Rub extra virgin olive oil on one side of bread and toast under grill, turn and repeat. When the bread is nicely browned turn off the grill. Place the slices of brie on the toast. Place under the (still) warm switched off grill for a couple of minutes- the heat will be enough to slightly melt the brie. Top with slices of fig, the mint leaves and a drizzle of honey. I served mine with a small salad, Enjoy.

Thank you Sara Mae- you created something very special. I hope you will forgive me for 'stealing' your recipe. I would be committing a crime not sharing this recipe on internet! It really does melt in ones mouth. I categorise this as 'simply delicious' (simple & delicious) I would even go as far to say that this combination would win a person over who doesn't normally care for Brie.
Figs can be found at the supermarkets for just a limited time. Can you believe the girl at the checkout didn’t even know what they were!
Before you know it, the fig season is over so hurry up. They are very perishable so handle them with extreme care.
They don't store well (don't refrigerate them) so buy only up to one day before you actually intend to use them.
So if anyone wants to buy me a bunch of flowers- I'll have the fig variety thank you- but please don't be offended when I eat them!