Figs coming in

I know, I know ... it's been a long time since I last posted ..

What excuse do I have? None .. slackness .. evil wow

But on to other things.

The year before last I received a fig tree for fathers day from the boys. We planted it out back and there it grew .. slowly .. not making friends with the Lemons or the Satusma. I'd watch it and for the past two years there would be a few figs and they'd always disappear rapidly before I could get to them.

Yesterday I was mowing and as I circled the fig tree I could see some ripe figs. Purple brown bags of yumminess. Being the geek that I am I went inside after finishing the mow and looked up how to tell when figs are ripe.

Turns out when they hang vertically they are ready. They'll be colorful and look 'full' . So I went back out to the little bush and sure enough there were four that were ready to be eaten. Now, to be honest with you, this was my first experience eating a fresh fig. I've just never had the opportunity. I have eaten plenty of fig preserves, dried figs and whatnot. But never an honest to goodness fresh fig.

So, I decided to take advantage of being the one that picked them and tried one right there behind the bush, in the sun. The heat of the day just starting to build up.

It was wonderful, what a flavor, unique ... There was a light sweetness, like a honey, then a 'summer' sort of flavor, like a watermelon almost.

Sitting here now, writing this post a day later, I can feel the sun on my shoulders and taste the fruit in my mouth.

I'll be watching this bush everyday for the next few weeks as the rest of th fruit ripens. Will Pamela and the boys enjoy them? Maybe .. if they make it to the house.

Dave

Cub's Hot Milk

Cub loves hot chocolate, no doubt about it, Don't most kids (and most adults)? But what Cub really wants to drink is 'Hot Milk'. I think I made it for him the first time when he was about 2 and it's been his favorite ever since.

It's pretty simple to make, I imagine most of you have made it once or twice.

Take your nice heavy saucepan, put it on the burner over medium heat. Add the following ingredients in no particular order.

• 2 Cups Organic Whole Milk
• 1 Cinnamon Stick broken up
• 3 TBS Honey
• 1 TSP vanilla Extract
• 1 Cardamom Pod broken open, let the seeds float in the milk

Heat the milk to just a bare simmer, don't walk away from the stove, stir the milk, smell the delicious aromas.

Pour it into your favorite mug, the one you found, you know ... the one with the chip in it, the one you reach for on lazy Sunday mornings. Pour the milk in through a sieve to get out all the 'bits' and grate a bit of nutmeg over the top.

Enjoy ... when the others ask you what you're drinking, just point them toward the saucepan and share.