I’m headed to Brimfield Antique Show today with my design friend, Kris.  I decided to make myself a breakfast of champions with pan-fried tofu with sriracha and sweet balsamic, arrepas and Oaxaca cheese over rough chop mixed greens.  Look out dealers, the best bargain hunters are on their way!  My hazelnut coffee is in a mug created by the fabulous Abby Berkson.  Want a cutie mug like mine?  Visit abbyberkson.com and check out her delightful handmade work.

Figs are an ancient food.  They are sacred foods in Greece, Italy, Egypt and the Middle East.  Figs were actually the fruit in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, not apples.  It was the favorite fruit of Cleopatra.  Elizabeth Taylor probably liked them, too.

Fig trees symbolize abundance, fertility and sweetness.  The twin founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, rested under a fig tree.  The early Olympic athletes used figs as training food and they were given to the winners.  Figs were the first Olympic medals.

I grew up eating figs.  That’s what happens when your father is Greek and your mother is Italian.  Figs happen.  A handful of figs (or Fig Newtons) is a great snack, perfect to satisfy those afternoon tummy grumblings or before a really long bike ride or walk with the dog.

What’s awesome about these good eats is that a serving of them, about ¼ cup dried, counts as one fruit serving.  They are fat, sodium and cholesterol-free.  They are richer in antioxidants than red wine or tea, and offer more fiber than any other fruit or vegetable in the world.

Figs were one of the first fruits dried and stored by man.  The United States ranks third in world production for dried figs, that’s 11,000 tons of figs each year from the Central Valley of the great state of California.  The Spanish introduced figs to the territory in the early 16^th century and, well, they just sort of ran with it.

Figs start growing in May and are harvested in the late summer and early fall.  There are five kinds of California Figs:  Black Mission, Calimyrna, Kadota, Brown Turkey and Sierras.  All figs can be eaten fresh or dried, except for the Brown Turkey which can only be eaten fresh.

Black Mission figs have purple and black skin with a deep earthy flavor like a Cabernet.  They were originally planted in 1769 by the padres at Mission San Diego.  When these figs are blended with savory ingredients like salt, cocoa and spices, the figs can have a meaty flavor, almost steak-like in aroma and taste.

Calimyrna, a distant cousin of the Smyrna fig from Turkey, have pale yellow skin with a buttery and nutty flavor like a Chardonnay.  When these figs are blended with aromatic ingredients like lavender, pine nuts and fennel, the flavors are nutty and butter with notes of roasted chicken.

Kadota figs have creamy amber skin with a light flavor like a Sauvingnon Blanc and Sierras are light-colored with a fresh, sweet flavor like a Reisling.  Brown Turkey figs have light purple to black skin with robust flavor like a Pinot Noir.

Hungry for some figs?  Check out the recipe after this delicious photo.  PS – You’re welcome!

Broccoli Raab with Sausage and Black Mission Figs & Gluten-Free Hot Pepper Ziti
A simple spin on an Italian classic my grandmother used to make when I was growing up.  This amazing appetizer can certainly make a meal.  The ingredients below make for eight wine tasting-sized servings or four invite-your-friends-over-and-let’s-party servings.  It’s a fast dish to make in 30 minutes or less.  Best yet, you can make it ahead and be extra host or hostess with the mostess.

What You Need:
1-1/2 lbs broccoli raab, trimmed and cut
1 lb garlicky sausage
½ pound dried California black mission figs, sliced
2 cups gluten-free ziti
2 tbsp olive oil
Hot pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste

What You Do:
-Boil and steam broccoli raab until it is bright green and starting to get tender.  Drain and shower with cold water to stop the raab from cooking.  Gentle squeeze out cold water and rough chop on a cutting board.  Set aside.

-Bring water to boil in a medium-sized pot for gluten-free ziti.  Cook until al dente.  Drain and set aside.

-Cook the sausage over medium-high heat in a large skillet with olive oil until lightly browned.  Remove and carefully cut sausage into bite-sized pieces.  Put back in the skillet and continue until nicely browned.

-Add broccoli raab to the skillet and stir in with sausage for a few minutes.  Add figs last and cook through, about five minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer to serving dish and cover to keep warm.

-Add gluten-free ziti to skillet on medium-high with olive oil.  Mix in hot pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer to serving dish.

Recommendations:  Grab your Oxo grater, some pecorino romano cheese and your choice of red wine without a bite.  The broccoli raab is pretty bitter so the smoother the red, the better!

Imagine my surprise to find a box outside my kitchen door filled with a newfangled ingredient.  It’s called Monk Fruit In The Raw, a new and natural zero calorie sweetener from the people who make Sugar In The Raw.  The letter that came with it requested that attendees “Show Your Raw Talent” in a cookie decorating photography contest.

I spent all morning and afternoon working out a gluten-free version of the sugar cookie recipe they sent.  I had a genius idea to make rosemary flavored ones with a soft lemon glaze and a batch of regular ‘ole plain ones to decorate with royal icing…then I realized something very important when I pulled the first batch out of the oven…I forgot to add xanthan gum and had to start all over!

Sigh.  It’s pretty safe to say that I’m not a very good baker.  Thankfully, I didn’t run out of ingredients but came pretty darn close.   Since the new product is really sweet, I decided to pair it with dark chocolate with 88% cocoa and a pop of basil.  They’re like Milanos and I think these are going to be my new signature cookie.  They go very well with ice-cold lemonade, ps.

Sugar Cookie
Makes 12 large 4-inch cookies

What You Need:
2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted sweet butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup Monk Fruit In The Raw
3 oz. dark chocolate
Basil leaves

What You Do:

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
2. Use a stand mixer to beat the butter and sugar.  Add the egg and vanilla.  Gradually add in the Monk Fruit In The Raw until combined. Reduce speed and gradually add dry ingredients until together.
3. Turn out dough onto plastic wrap.  Use the wrap to shape the dough into a cylinder shape.  Wrap dough and chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 350° F and line two large baking sheets with parchment.  Place the cylinder of dough on a cutting board and use a large knife to cut rounds a little thicker than 1/4″.  Working quickly, give the rounds a little pat then press a 3-1/2″ cookie cutter to cut shapes.  Place cookies on baking sheet about 2-inches apart. Repeat until finished.
5. When oven is hot place cookies on center rack in oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are firm when pressed in the center and evenly pale gold in color. Let the cookies rest for 1 minute then transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely before decorating

Note:  The best way to melt chocolate is like this:  Grate it, put it in a Pyrex measuring cup and place it in a pot of water.  Bring the water to a gentle boil and stir as you go.  It only takes like 4-5 minutes before it’s perfect.  Thanks, page 582 of Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

I didn’t know many kids like me growing with families who had both Catholic and Greek Orthodox traditions.  There was this quiet smile knowing that in just a few more weeks I, an only kid, would get to see my family all over again.

The “first” Easter always had the bells and whistles about it, with PAAS-dyed eggs and cellophane-wrapped baskets precariously filled with Peeps and rabbit softies.  That fake plastic grass always got everywhere and I’d inevitably find a piece in July while recovering on the couch from a sunburn.

When my parents cooked, the food was delicious but anything outside of my house was another story.   There was also this strange, put-on formality by people who were unceremonious by nature.  They anxiously prepared salty ham, overcooked vegetable sides, burned yeasty rolls and set up a sugary dessert spread.  I think those meals taught me lessons in politeness since no one ever said anything other than how great it all tasted.

My favorite Easter was the “second” one.  We were always at home and there was no marshmallow anything in sight.  My dad in the kitchen for hours making Greek butter cookies called Koulourakia and confections with cloves called Kourambiethes.  Roasted lamb was always dinner, dripping with deliciousness and embedded with cloves of garlic. We’d have rolls but they were buttery and soft or hand mashed potatoes with just enough salt and pepper to make you want to have seconds…or thirds.

Orthodox Easter is Sunday, May 5, so check out these recipes for celebrating Greek Easter by Chef Michael Psilakis and learn how to make the traditional red Easter eggs here.  Leave a note below and let me know how you did!

The One Fund Boston, Inc. was established by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino to help the people most affected by the Boston Marathon tragedy. Find out how you can get involved here.

The New England Pat­riots and New England Revolution Charitable Foundations are collecting funds to provide relief to victims. The Kraft Family announced it would match the first $100,000 in donations. Learn more here and here.

The Richard Family Fund has been established to honor the 8-year-old boy who was killed in the blast and to provide support for his mother and sister who were injured, the Boston Herald reports. Call Meetinghouse Bank for donation information (617) 298-2250.

The Salvation Army has deployed four mobile feeding kitchens and more than 30 volunteers to dispense food, drinks and emotional support in Boston. One canteen is stationed at the Family Assistance Center at the Park Plaza Castle where survivors and first responders are congregating. Find out how you can get involved here.

The Red Cross says the best way to help right now is to get in touch with loved ones through its Safe AndWell Listings. The organization is not asking for blood donations at this time.

Ten of the victims were taken to Boston’s Children’s Hospital.  Follow @BostonChildrens on Twitter for the latest updates.  Donate to and check out their useful resources for how to talk to children after a tragedy.

Anyone with info about the incident can call 1-800-494-TIPS.