Fresh Bread with Cream Cheese and Berries

This is one of those simple and obvious ideas that pass by unnoticed until someone kindly points them out. In this case it was a waitress at Chez Panisse who used to make this snack before starting work. She made it with fresh baguettes or pain au levain, but any good-quality bread would be fine. The fresh fruit, unlike jam, is sweet but not cloying. The tart edge of the berries is refreshing and nicely cuts the creaminess of the cheese. Ripe figs, sliced into