Figs stuffed with garlic & My visit to Seattle

Oh Seattle.  I miss you. 

In July, I had the pleasure of returning to Seattle.  If you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting this corner of the world, you should.  It’s peaceful, serene and beautiful – with a little hint of alt-rock.  In many ways it reminds me of the time my wife and I spent in Hobart during our honeymoon in Australia.  When I see all the local produce, fresh fish and friendly people, it’s no surprise that my inner hippie comes alive.  All of these things you should know about Seattle make me smile, except for number 15.  That made me a little sad. 

Aboard the Whidbey Island Ferry.

Arriving a few days before a conference, I spent the weekend with great friends in Bellvue.  We hadn’t seen each other for five years (or more) and I felt like I was home-away-from-home the second their front door opened. We spent the weekend enjoying the beautiful weather.  The highlight of Friday night dinner was the salmon that was so fresh I imagine had been swimming in the Pacific earlier that day, and on Sunday, before I headed downtown to my awesome, eco-friendly, hotel, we explored Whidbey Island. 

At the conference, I switched gears from hanging out with old family friends to meeting new people.  The days were filled with unparalleled education and thought-share from some of the greatest Internet marketing professionals in the industry.  Friendships were formed and each evening, as speakers stepped down from the podium, laptops were returned to hotel rooms, hashtags were formed and bottles of beer, whiskey and wine were shared. 

Sunset at Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA. July 2013.

At the end of the week, our new formed friendships were relegated to Twitter with the hope that we’d reunite in Seattle the following year.  That all sounds nice, but what has any of this got to do with figs stuffed with cloves of garlic? 

Well, this dish reminds me of my week in Seattle. 

When I was doing groceries for a special Friday night dinner, I found the most beautiful looking figs at Whole Foods.  My mind wandered back to a jar of smokey fig and onion jam I had seen at a Whidbey Island store. I figured that if figs and garlic could be paired to make jam, why not roast them together and serve them as an appetizer.

I know, I called it “jam” and the label says “spead”…

As it turns out, they were simply delicious and they could not be simpler. 

Figs stuffed with garlic

• 1 small punnet of figs
• 1-2 bulbs of garlic 
• Coconut sugar (can substitute with brown sugar) 

Here’s how to make these. 

• Peel one clove of garlic for each fig
• Cut the top off of the figs
  
• Cut an X in middle of the fig and insert the garlic
• Sprinkle with brown sugar
• Put in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes
• Serve warm