Sweet of the Week: Mixed Berry Crostata at FIG & OLIVE

FIG & OLIVE:

At the end of a wanton meal filled with olive oil, chicken, tuna, crostini, and croquettes, the last thing I want is something rich and chocolatey. Despite my pre-inclined disdain for things labeled "mixed berry" anything, the mixed berry crostata at FIG & OLIVE seemed the most sensible choice. All the way through, dinner at FIG & OLIVE was a delightful surprise, so I was hopeful the crostata would end the meal on an exclamatory high note. And boy did it. Despite the under-selling name, the dessert sums up nicely what summer in Chicago is all about, clearly putting the spotlight on fresh berries and letting their innate sweetness take the lead. 

(FIG & OLIVE)

This dessert was so bracingly fresh, it tasted like I was running through a dewy orchard mouth-first. Blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries erupt with succulent saccharine flavors, each bite of the crisp tart oozing flavor from every corner. I appreciate that the tart itself is delicate and flaky, made with a fine foundation of filo so as to keep the concentration clearly on the fruits. There's also vanilla mascarpone to add a creamy component and bind things together, as well as Cointreau syrup for a bit of zesty spritz. Micro basil lends an invigorating herbal essence. But oh those berries. The delicate mound in the middle of the tart is just pristine dessert decadence at its finest, ending dinner on a sweet note without clobbering you over the head with excess. Hi summer, please never leave. 

- Matt Kirouac