Saturday, July 12, 2008

FIGS, I LOVE FIGS


I love figs more than any other fruit. Billy's Mama had a tree and every year she would put up a few jars and she always gave me one. They were wonderful with hot buttered biscuit. A big Oak tree appears to be taking over that tree now. No one there to pick them or at least no one who cares for them.

Not too long ago, Billy came home with this hopeless looking little fig tree. We planted it and waited. The birds got the first crop. I didn't know about netting and it took a few trips to find figs with holes in them to figure it out. Then I caught one, a rascal bird, pecking and grinning, on my tree. I wanted to take a shotgun to the thief but he would probably have ducked. And I've never shot a gun either, so there is that!

Now I have little babies on there again and this time, I am going to protect them. I have mulched and fed it and now I am standing here with my fork and great expectations. I like them right off the tree, but fig preserves or fig jam is great too. And stuffed figs with cream cheese and a little brown sugar, gets my attention. Chocolate dipped figs, fig-banana smoothie, fig bars, fig bread and although I have never tried it, figgy pudding is on my list of things to try.

I'll bet a lot of people have never eaten a fresh fig. They eat fig newtons and dried figs but those are to figs what canned peas are to fresh, no comparison. A fresh fig tastes like a mix of a fresh Georgia peach and a sun ripened strawberry!


Here is Emeril's recipe for fig preserves from the food network...So simple.


FIG PERSERVES

1 pound fresh ripe figs, washed, stemmed
1 cup sugar

In a medium saucepan, mix figs and sugar together and cook on low heat, uncovered, about 30 minutes.
If processing, pour hot preserves mixture into a hot, sterile 1-quart or 2 (1-pint) glass canning jars, filling jar to within 1/8-inch from top; wipe rim and seal jar with lid. Put jar in water-bath canner or on rack set in a deep kettle and cover with hot water by 1 to 2 inches. Bring to a gentle simmer (180 to 185 degrees), and process, covered, 5 minutes. Transfer jar to a rack using tongs and let cool completely. Store in a cool, dark place.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are correct! I don't think I've ever had a fresh fig. And I believe last spring a year ago when I was frenziedly cutting down the jungle that was our yard, I mistakenly cut one down! I say that because yours looks so familiar!
Brenda

Susie said...

Can I just say stuffed figs with cream cheese and brown sugar, sounds fantastic!! Yummy!!!!!

I have had fig preserves before. They were pretty tasty!

Anonymous said...

My husband is crazy about figs. I like them too.
We are lucky, there are fig tree all over our neighborhood and nobody seems to like them as much as we do. So when it's fig season we gorge ourselves.

Skeeter said...

I like Fig Newton’s but have never tried a fresh fig in my life! You have convinced me to give them a try some time!

We went to the market in old downtown this morning and picked up blackberry, peaches and a strange looking melon. Tasted sweet and juicy with the sample so we had to bring one home. Should be munching on it for movie snack tonight...

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

My Grandma was the fig queen! She made all kinds of stuff with them. I have never really enjoyed them but they seem to be abundent around here!!!

Teresa said...

I have a petite black fig bush in a pot and it is not looking too healthy this year (curled leaves). Last year none of the figs ripened but about 3 years ago I got ONE that ripened and it was delicious! Actually I often see fig trees in yards around the neighborhood. They must be tasty otherwise why would so many people in our cool cloudy climate be rying to grow them?

Amy said...

Hello Eve - thanks so much for visiting my blog and introducing yourself. It's always so much fun to meet new people. The "time wounds all heels" quote from your friend made me laugh :)

What fun to be able to grow your own figs! I've only ever tasted them dried - don't know if the grocery stores even carry fresh ones out here.

Connie said...

What a treat it must be to grow fresh figs! Alas, our climate is not suitable.

Meems said...

Hello Eve, Thanks for stopping by Hoe & Shovel and leaving a comment.

Fresh figs as you've described them sound marvelous. You are right...I have never tasted them.

That stuffed fig concoction with cream cheese and brown sugar gets my attention as well!
Meems @HoeandShovel

Curmudgeon said...

Fresh figs are to die for. Stuffing them with cream cheese or mascarpone is wonderful--and a little fresh orange zest added to the cheese is awesome. Thanks for stopping by and leaving us a comment. You are most perceptive--those are new plants ;-)
--Curmudgeon

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Eve .. thank you so much for you kind words about my pictures : )
I am now craving all those wonderful fig recipes you have talked about .. I have never tasted a fresh fig and all I can do now is think about how good they must be after your descriptions ! I have to have some !
Joy : )

Rose said...

You're right--I've never tasted a fresh fig. I'm sure fig trees won't grow in the Midwest, but I'll have to look for one in the supermarket. Your description of its taste is mouthwatering!

Aunt Debbi/kurts mom said...

I never seem to get to our figs before the birds. It is at the back of the yard and I just forget it. Thanks for the reminder. I will check them tomorrow.

Julie said...

I wonder if I could grow one in my screenroom in zone 10...Could be worth a try with your delicious sounding treats, and even fresh off the tree (which I have never had, BTW)!

Cindy said...

Hmmm, I wonder if I could get a fig to grow in PA. I should put my husband on that quest. He is always growing tropical type things, from seed, no less.