Phew! All that travel writing has left me famished. It's not easy trying to remember the details and trying to do justice to the experience. But I try. Now I feel I deserve a little break. :) And what better way to recharge than with a simple yet delicious sandwich.I'm going to pre-empt this little travelogue of mine by saying that while I was in Phoenix, the friend I was staying with took me the most gorgeous gourmet supermarket I've ever seen! AJ's Purveyor of Fine Foods. AJ's is many things, it is a sophisticated grocery, an indoor farmer's market bursting with beautiful produce, a bistro, deli, wine cellar, sushi bar, salad bar, a butcher's corner, a seafood grotto, a flower shop and a pastry shop. The staff was friendly and helpful, the atmosphere luxurious yet warm and cozy, and the items on the shelf, they were fine indeed! I don't think I could live in a place that has an AJ's, I'd go broke for sure.
So anyway, this is where I bought the lovely Provençal Fig Jam I used in my sandwich as pictured above. (BTW, yay! My first box has arrived! :D) The jam is heavenly, it is made from the freshest red figs simmered with just the right amount of brown sugar. Some of you may already know that I have a love affair with the combination of fig and gorgonzola. So intense is this love affair that I even gave it my own term of endearment: Figonzola. Sigh...doesn't it sound so romantic? ;) Even more so when said with an Italian accent.
So as soon as I had the chance I popped open the jar, spread a a nice amount of the jam on whole wheat bread, layered it with gorgonzola cheese and then topped it all of with some apple slices for a nice crunch. Oh my my! It was good. Seriously. I've already enjoyed the jam on a toasted and buttered bagel, and as a topping for my yogurt. I'm quickly running out though. Must order more!
11 comments:
Ack! I am so going there and begging for some of that sandwich! It looks and sounds phenomenal! Figonzola...I love it (wait til Katrina sees this!) :)
Nens, we need to get some of Ian's Butter Pecan ice cream because we had it with fig jam and the combination was crazy-good!
Ooh, I love fig preserves and apple sandwich but with manchego. I must try your figonzola and the ice cream suggested by joey.
Now make it a grilled sammich and we're in buisness!
Oh no, Jo, you need to come quick because I don't have much left. But I've ordered more. Wow ice cream and fig jam?! I'm so there!
Oggi, I sometimes have guava jam with manchego in pan de sal! I love the sweet-salty combination. :)
Garrett, I did! I grilled the next one on my George and it was even better. I always prefer my sandwiches grilled, regardless of filling, it just always tastes better.
All this fascination with FIG from Joey, Marketman, Lori and now you!! Makes me really really curious on this stuff!! :)
Guess I will have to be in the minority. Anything involving bleu cheese or Gorgonzola(same thing to me but I know most say different)is out the question. I can't get either one of them past my nose. blechhhhh!
Lol, just had a vision of My nose LITTERALLY growing instantly and blocking off my mouth like a hockey goalie. And then mixing it with jelly? wow that sounds like a wacko combination. Don't get me wrong I LIKE wacko combinations(see bananna and butter sandwiches, tuna fish with mustard and cheese, for instance) but Me thinks I will have to pass on this one. That said, what do you know, you made me hungry again. At least it isn't 2 am this time.
BD
I get suddenly hungry whenever I read your food posts, Christine! Boy, would I love a sandwich now.
Candishh, I'm sure you would love it too once you try it. I really wish we had access to fresh figs here in the Philippines.
BD, somehow I'm not very surprised with your reaction, I know this isn't your type of thing. And btw, I LOVE banana and peanut butter sandwiches (or did you really mean banana and butter? in that case you are wacko :p), and though I've never tried tuna fish with mustard and cheese, it sounds like something I would like as well.
Hi Eric, hehe, that isn't a bad thing right? :)
Nena, we had butter pecan ice cream and I had a jar of fig jam (not your figonzola, but a good substitute) with the roast duck a couple of months ago. It was a great combination, and definitely something to do again.
As for jams with cheese, I too was not into it until I was in my late teens. Best with a sharp cheese though as the processed kind never has that right balance of salt. I love grating a cloud of queso de bola and then mixing it with blueberry preserves, eat it with a toasted brioche. Yummers.
Am late to the party (still trying to catch up on all the blogs), but I'm HERE and oooohhhhmigosh, Nena, that picture just pulled my eyes straight to it! It was like, "Teotihuaaat's that sandwich?!" ;-) Cheese & jam/fruit is one of my fave combos. And yes, grilled is always best with sandwiches, especially with lots of butter! (There I go with my butter obsession again...) But, like BD, blue cheese just isn't for me. Give me the fig jam with manchego, or maybe pecorino, or good ol' quezo de bola...Which brings me to: Mila! Grating QdB and mixing it with jam?! Do you melt it then, or just eat it that way? I MUST try that ASAP, what perfect timing for the holiday QdB overload!
Mila, Joey told me about that! It sounds too good to be true, so I gotta try it for myself! I would have never thought of combining jam and ice cream, what an interesting thought. OOohhh queso de bola, I love it with guava jam (one of my most favorite jams thanks to my lola).
Katrina, I love the combo too! The combination of sweet and salty, with the crunch factor of the crusty bread or a few slices of apple, it's just perfect.
Ok girls, we should have a cheese and jam party! Like our own little cheese club. We can even include raclette and cheese fondue. Oh gosh, wait I need a bib for all this drool.
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