I've been looking at the shape of things this Autumn. I've been especially motivated as I'm working with a group of 5th graders helping them to focus on shapes and how artists use shapes as they make their art. all October I kept noticing round shapes and took photos of them. Before November marches too far along I want to share some round things.
The first round shape I noticed was the beautiful round shape of the fig.
Can't you imagine these lovely colors used in a dining room for wall et.al. If I were Donna Frasca of
http://colorspecialist-charlotte.blogspot.com/ I could quickly tease 3 major colors which could be used in your interior. Check her out to see her magic.
I however looked at these luscious figs and made a fig clafouti. Because I knew my friend Eugenie (who reads this blog) would ask "What is a clafouti ?" I am going to include a recipe and pictures. You need 16 to 18 small and/or medium figs. I like a variety. If you have medium ones you halve them, or if you have large ones you quarter them and set them aside while- you bring
marsala wine, 1/4 cup
and 1/4 cup of brown sugar,
plus 2TBSP water to boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and let your figs soak in the liquid for 15 minutes,turning them.
While the figs are soaking, preheat an oven and butter a baking pan. Use either a round 12" or rectangular 12"x18". I of course used neither mine was square.
Now you make the batter. Combine in a mixing bowl- 1 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream ( remember this is French)
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
2/3 cup flour sifted
Beat w/an electric mixer until frothy, about 5 minutes.
Pour enough into the baking dish to the bottom about 1/4 inch. put in the 350 F oven for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully arrange the figs evenly over the batter. It is fun to vary them some up, others down, etc.. now pour the remaining batter over and around the figs. Bake the clafouti until the batter is puffed and brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes more at higher altitudes. Serve warm from the oven and you might sprinkle it with powdered sugar. Tiens
Voila!
It is quite delicious. I think I will save my other round observations for my next Post.
Right now I am going to have a little piece of warm clafouti -ummm!
Pour enough into the baking dish to the bottom about 1/4 inch. put in the 350 F oven for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully arrange the figs evenly over the batter. It is fun to vary them some up, others down, etc.. now pour the remaining batter over and around the figs. Bake the clafouti until the batter is puffed and brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes more at higher altitudes. Serve warm from the oven and you might sprinkle it with powdered sugar. Tiens Voila! 
