FRESNO — What do you know about dried fig nutrition? Dried fig nutritional value and benefits include being a good source of fiber, and providing calcium, potassium, and micro-nutrients. One (40-gram) serving of dried figs has 100 calories in it. For perspective, this serving size and calories in figs is less than in dates, dried apricots, or raisins.
“The best dried figs come from California. Located in the fertile San Joaquin Valley, our fig-grower-owned cooperative is one of the largest handlers of figs in North America. Whether you’re using our dried figs or fig products in a commercial kitchen or enjoying our dried figs at home, the benefits of dried figs are many. You can find them in your favorite store or online, under the brands: Sun-Maid, Orchard Choice, and Blue Ribbon. You can count on California Figs.”
“Our figs are always GMO-Free, vegan friendly, and packed with nutrition. Whether you enjoy our figs for their nutritional powerhouse reputation, their wonderful taste, or their reputed aphrodisiac qualities, we know you’ll be back for more.”
The “recipe” for the charcuterie platter here is just a guideline. You can concentrate on a particular region and choose meats and cheeses from France, Italy, or Spain for example, or you can be guided by what appeals to you that is available in the market. For the meats, allow 2 ounces per person for an appetizer platter, up to 5 ounces if the platter is for a meal. Choices range from pre-sliced meats such as prosciutto or Spanish ham (Serrano or Iberico), Italian dry-cured beef (bresaola), German speck, and mortadella. Hard salamis such as soppressata, smoked kielbasa, and capicola are also good candidates.
Offer three types of cheeses—something soft and pungent like a soft blue Castello, a triple crème Tur or Brillat-Savarin, or Brie; something firm like an aged Parmigiano; and something in between, like a Gouda or Spanish manchego. Once again, be guided by your own taste and what is available, or focus on a particular region or country.
Wash all of it down with a chilled rose or sparkling Lambrusco. It’s officially summer; the living should be easy.
