With your hands, pull California dried figs gently into their original shape, smoothing out wrinkles and perking up stems. With a sharp, small knife, slit the smoothest side of the figs. Stuff them plump and full with any of the following goodies:

* half of mint or wintergreen cream patties * half of chocolate covered mint patties * salted nuts

* toasted walnut meats * marshmallow, slit, with piece of chocolate tucked into it * wedge of candied ginger * ground nuts mixed with honey * fondant

* ground or chopped salted peanuts mixed with peanut butter * blanched almonds, dried slowly in oven * candied cherry

* chunk of candied pineapple

Arrange these good-to-eat and good-to-look-at figs on pretty tray. Place candle into a stem-clipped fig, which will serve happily as candle stick. Conversation piece - and piéce de resistance!

Reprinted with the permission of The California Fig Advisory Board Electronic format courtesy of Karen Mintzias