Past Newsletters
Vol. 6 No. 9

Member of the Month

Member of the Month—Where For Art Thou?

We’re still looking for our first Gourmet Chocolate of the Month Club Superstar! Perhaps we haven’t caught your eye yet with our fantabulous offer—so, here again, we submit for your approval (in an echoed, reverb-saturated voice from the sky):

"THE DEAL OF THE CENTURY!"

Send us a picture and brief description (that we like)—and you get a free month of gourmet chocolate!
Yes folks, it’s really that easy!!!

Snap those photos of yourself (and friends if you like) enjoying your featured monthly chocolates and e-mail them to us with your name and address to MOM@monthlyclubs.com. Or, if you prefer the lower-tech route, and have a penchant for applying stamps to your mail, we’ve got just the P.O. Box for you (see below). How ever you decide to send us your pics, here’s the deal: if we select your photo, you’ll earn a FREE one-month extension to your club membership! Now that’s a sweet deal!!

Here’s the mailing address for all Member of the Month Photo Submissions (be sure to include a description of the photo (identify yourself) and your name and mailing address):

Member of the Month
P.O. Box 1627
Lake Forest, CA 92609

Rabitos—A Unique Treat from Spain!

In the southwest of Spain, you will find the Extremadura region of the country, home to a little village of Almoharin (province Cáceres). Ask anyone in Spain about Almoharin, which is of Arabic origin, and they’ll tell you this is where you can find the most scrumptious figs in the entire world—both unique and extraordinary!

Figs are a staple of the Mediterranean diet, and in Spain, the pairing of figs and chocolate is quite traditional. Despite how commonplace they are, there are some figs that are more desirable than others. The caliber of Rabitos is something you won’t encounter very often, even if you are accustomed to Mediterranean cuisine. A mere 70,000 kg—a very limited production quantity—are made annually by fifteen gifted artisans (mostly family members) at the Miguel & Valentino company. Rabitos are made with a variety of fig called the Pajarito, which is unique to this particular area of Spain. The Pajarito varietals have a very early maturation, due to the regionally warm climate, which enables the fig to ripen in a very short period of time. As a result, these figs are smaller than most, with a more concentrated sweetness, smaller seeds, a chewy, yet delicate texture, and mellow flavoring.

The chocolates we have sent you this month are a scrumptious combination of dried figs filled with a rich, dark chocolate truffle cream infused with fine liquor. The entire fig, stem included, and already filled with this delectable concoction, is then dipped in a high-cocoa, dark chocolate. Their final appearance is at once enticing and alluring, and its sleek look is somehow evocative of modern works of sculpted art. The indulgence you are about to taste has been awarded the distinctive Quality Mark “Alimentos de Extremadura” by Director of Commerce and Agrarian Industries of Extremadura. We suggest that when eating Rabitos, you slowly bite through each one so that you can fully savor each layer—chocolate, fig, and filling. This tasting experience is one that you may not be familiar with, but we are sure you will relish it nonetheless!

Extremadura Bristles With Antiquity

From the Gredos and Gata mountain ranges all the way to Andalusia, and from Castile to the Portuguese frontier lies the relatively remote western state of Spain called Extremadura. It includes the provinces of Badajoz and Cáceres, and its capital city is Mérida—once among the most important cities in the vast Roman Empire. Occupied over time by both Moorish and Christian Spaniards, the regional architecture is beautifully influenced by both, and is simply outstanding overall. Each year, more and more of Mérida's rich archaeological history is uncovered, and in December of 1993 it was named by the United Nations (UNESCO) as a World Heritage Site.
The conquistadors, Cortés, Pizarro, Balboa, and many others, all left this dry, sun-parched land because it was exceptionally challenging to earn a living. But they did leave their marks; many Spanish mansions and other structures that are still visited today were financed by the goods and monies that resulted from their American excursions.

An Amazing Place to Visit

As with much of Europe, you will find Roman ruins in Mérida, though its status in the empire has made for particularly impressive structures. A colossal theater, an amphitheater, two aqueducts, and the Puente Romano bridge over the Río Guadiana, which has 64 pristine arches and represents one of the longest bridges the Romans ever built, are all among the ancient treasures that remain in this land. The Museum of Roman Art is also in Mérida—its collection priceless. If you are in ever in the region, do not miss these sites, or the Moorish Alcazaba town walls with their massive watch-towers, nor the exceptional medieval palaces that can be found in Badajoz and Cáceres. The towns of Plasencia and Trujillo are also vital with Gothic cathedrals, exquisite palaces, and well preserved medieval town-walls. Few places on earth are as architecturally and culturally rich as these remarkable districts, and the name Plasencia gives us a clue to the fact that it has always been this way—the name means “pleasant for God and for man”.

Spring and fall are the best times to visit the regions since summers are exceptionally hot and winters are actually quite cold. Though if you happen to be there in February, an interesting sight can be beheld in the Jerte valley, when the cherry trees come into their full, beautiful blossom. Spaniards go to Extremadura to hunt and fish, to enjoy the many reservoirs, and to ride horses along ancient trails, much like the Romans once did.
If you choose to visit Spain (and we strongly encourage that you do), do yourself a favor by staying in at least one Parador. These Inns are funded by the Spanish government, and all of them are buildings of significant cultural and historic interest. 'Frommer's Spain' describes the Parador de Mérida as “a 16th-century building that was at various times a convent and a prison. In the 1960's, this building hosted a meeting between the much-hated dictators of Spain (Franco) and Portugal (Salazar). Mudéjar, Roman, and Visigothic elements adorn the interior in unusual but stunning juxtaposition. The inner courtyard and Mozarabic gardens add graceful notes. The kitchen serves the best of the area, including gazpacho, calderetas extremeñas (stews), and the famous Almoharin figs.”

Of course, there is also the remarkable Parador Plasencia. This inn is the former Convent of Santo Domingo, founded by the Zuniga family in the middle of the 15th century and built in gothic style both inside and out. Situated in a marvelous location in the heart of the historical quarter of Plasencia, this is an ideal point from which to discover the city's architectural delights as well as the awe-inspiring surrounding country side. And as with all restaurants of the Paradors, the serving of local, regional dishes takes top priority. In the Parador of Plasencia the theme is the cuisine from Extremadura. Being an inland region the dishes are from the agriculture of the region and the meats of the mountains. The menu may include the following specialties: “Sopa de Patatas” is a potato based soup; “Pucherete de Perdiz” is a stew of partridge meat; “Lomitos de Cordero!” is honey roast lamb with potatoes and vegetables; and “Compota de Higos de la Vera” is a dish of local figs stewed in syrup.

A Few Fun Figgy Facts

• Figs Leaves May Have Been Our First Clothes! The Old Testament (thought to be completed around 500 BC) describes Adam and Eve's first clothing as fig leaves. As one translation puts it, “the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” This means there must have been a fig tree in the Garden of Eden, and in fact, figs are the most talked about fruit in the bible.
• 4000 BC: Figs are thought to have originated from Asia Minor around this time. Some archaeologists think figs were one of the first fruits to be domesticated in the Eastern Mediterranean area.
• 2500 BC: Sumerian scribes wrote about figs on clay tablets.
• 2000 BC: Figs were mentioned in a Babylonian hymn book. The Greek goddess Demeter first revealed figs (in mythology they represent abundance and wisdom). Fig trees were considered to be sacred in Southwestern Asia, Egypt, Greece, and Italy.
• 776 BC: Figs were so prized that they served as the very first Olympic 'medals.' As a token of honor, figs were used as a training food by the early Olympic athletes, and their leaves were presented as laurels to the winners.
• 639-559 BC: During his rule of the ancient city of Attica, famous for its figs, Solon made it illegal to export figs out of Greece, thus reserving them exclusively for the Greek citizenry.
• 300 BC: 1700 years after the Babylonian hymn book, Greeks were still worshipping figs (think about that for a moment—1700 years is a mighty long time). Figs were actually considered to be more precious than gold! The Romans believed that Bacchus was the god who introduced the fig to mankind, therefore fig trees were sacred, and images of the god, as well as other dignitaries were often crowned with fig leaves.
• c. 88 BC: Mithridates, the Greek King of Pontus, instructed his physicians to use figs medicinally, and ordered his citizens to consume figs daily.
• 52-113 AD: Pliny, the Roman author wrote that, “Figs are restorative. They increase the strength of young people, preserve the elderly in better health and make them look younger with fewer wrinkles.”
• c. 570-632 AD: It is said that the prophet Mohammed once exclaimed: “If I should wish a fruit brought to Paradise it would certainly be the fig.”
• 812 AD: Charlemagne attempted to introduce the fig to the Netherlands, but was unsuccessful because the fruit could not adapt to the cold weather climate.
• 1575 AD: The Spanish introduced figs to Florida.
• 1759 AD: Spanish Franciscan missionaries brought figs to California and established a mission in San Diego. Each mission thereafter had a fig tree planted in its garden.
• Present Day: Currently, California ranks third in world fig production after Turkey and Greece, and ahead of Spain and Portugal. The state produces 100% of the figs grown domestically and approximately 65% of all the figs consumed in the country.

So Many Figs, So Little Time

There have been over 720 varieties of figs identified in Mediterranean countries, but most of these have never been introduced into the United States. In fact, U.S. growers mainly cultivate four commercial types, three of which are dried and one that is eaten fresh. In Spain they grow an astounding variety, which makes sense considering that figs are a larger component of their diet, and occupy a much longer stretch of time in the region’s culinary timeline. They are used abundantly, both dried and fresh, and can be used in just about every sort of Mediterranean dish from stews to the ambrosial Rabitos of Miguel & Valentino’s. They also make a great snack and are particularly delightful with cheese. If you are a member of our Gourmet Cheese of the Month Club, try pairing some figs (fresh or dried—you can get them at many stores, including Trader Joe’s) with the cheeses you’ve received. If you’re not a member of the club—what are you waiting for? Visit www.monthlyclubs.com to get a subscription started and prepare to relish in the gastronomic delicacies we gather from around the world—every month!

For some great fig recipes, visit the following sites:

http://www.californiafigs.com/recipes/index.html

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/recipes/figs/figindex.html

Or spend about 15 seconds searching the internet and you’ll find more recipes for figs than you’ll know what to do with! Enjoy!!