I'm in a jam!

Seems it's that time again, and it came about so quickly.

This time a year ago I was doing this exact same thing, this very same week,

making fig jam - HERE.

Last year, jars of jam were shared with any and all who stopped by the cottage and

 admitted, or perhaps some fibbed but just wanted to be polite, to liking figs!

The chief picker, Bob, who braves the mosquitoes, bees, angry birds nibbling

on the ripe fruits, robins dive bombing his head because he's taking

 their food. . . . . . . and the 100F temperatures each day, DOES NOT like

 or eat figs in any shape or form, grrrrrrrrr!

Last year I ended up filling more than two dozen jars over the two weeks

 of bubbling pots of fruit and sugar (yes, have to add some), and sterilizing to

 ensure healthy jam. 

This year I may make fewer, but I am also planning to show a friend how

to make the jam and of course she'll be taking plenty home.

I'll be off to the store later to stock up on more canning jars, and the saucepans

 will be bubbling again in a day or so as the trees - I have two - are loaded with fruit.

Fresh figs on breakfast yogurt - roasted figs with acacia honey and mascarpone -

caramelized figs - fig bars - fig upside down cake - fig salsa on grilled salmon - fresh

 figs on a salad plate - or just a fresh juicy fig picked off the tree and popped into

 the mouth, luscious.

Everyone should grow a beautiful fig tree!

Even if you don't like figs the huge perfect leaves are so pleasant

just to gaze at.

My two trees have grown from tiny 18" tall potted plants from the 

garden center into 15 feet tall trees in just over 8 years.

A major pruning will be necessary later this year so perhaps 

next Summer's fruit crop will be smaller. Will have to wait and see.

Reminder regarding figs . . . . . . . . .

They're almost done for this Summer. . . . . . . . . 

me too!

Jam sessions. . . . . . . . . . . .

The jam sessions are done, over, finished, completed for this season,

honestly I just can't make anymore!

Bob must have picked 50 pounds of ripe and juicy figs over the past 

couple of weeks. They're still coming and I'm still sharing fresh picked 

ones with several friends who enjoy them.

 I've made enough jam to feed the neighbors and several friends, and I 

have enough of those little glass Ball jars in my mini overflow refrigerator 

to last 'til next year. . . . . . . and if you come by I'll definitely offer you one.

I've been baking with figs - an upside down cake, fig tarts - and tomorrow perhaps a 

fig-almond crostata, and a Turkish fig cake. Still too many fresh ones to eat in salads 

or out of hand so I'm now baking them. I trim the stems, cut them in half and add to a

large heavy baking dish with a little butter, and bake at 350F for 30 minutes.

On removing from the oven, all soft and swimming in rosy juice, I swirl in a couple of 

spoonfuls of French Miel de Lavande (lavender honey) or Wildflower Honey - but 

any kind will do, let them cool and then ladle into pint freezer bags.

I've marked the date and plan to use them within 6 months - they should hold their 

full Summer flavor that long. I'll be adding them to smoothies, breakfast Greek yogurt,

and probably bake more cakes and pastries through the Winter months.

I never knew until I planted my own little tree - now about 12 feet tall - that figs

would become one of my favorite fruits.

Figs made a liar of me!

OK, terribly sorry, I admit I lied!

Last week I mentioned the glut of Celeste figs arriving on my kitchen island daily 

thanks to my official 'fig picker', also known as Bob. I also said that I would NOT 

be making fig jam this year. . . . . . . . so what the heck are all those little jars doing here?

These were last evening's busy work for me - and yes, it's already the second batch 

as I made the same amount earlier in the week - that's 14 jars of jam - so have 

already shared with neighbors and friends!

These are my Celeste figs, and they are really good - I love that their sweetness 

is subtle, that they are medium sized and not at all chewy - even when enjoyed raw. 

I quarter them for preserves, cut in half to bake, do a chunky chop to toss with my 

morning Greek yogurt.

Figs really are good for you in so many ways. . . . . . . . . despite the fact they've made 

me a little less than honest!

P.S.   To dear Sara in So. California, if you read this, know I'm finding some

fabulous recipes in the wonderful fig cook book you gifted me with. . . . .

and I really miss you!

There is a season, a time for everything. . . . . .

Awaking to this scene beyond the front porch yesterday morning 

was quite a surprise. The first night with temperatures dropping below

freezing caused all the fig leaves to fall at once, carpeting the ground

in soft and muted greens, golds, even figgy purples.

I thought it all quite a magical sight.

This really was the color - Carolina Blue - of the sky yesterday while we were 

working in the garden.

We raked up all those leaves.

Two or three green figs are left hanging on - a winter feast for 

a lucky squirrel or hungry little bird.

So it's farewell to our lovely, leafy fig trees - we have two - for this year.

This one, the Celeste, was definitely prolific this past season. . . . . . 

I'm still handing out pots of Fig & Lemon and Fig & Ginger jam. 

Farewell to figs………………

Over the weekend the figs seemed to vanish into thin air. The plump ones left on the 

trees Saturday - because I just couldn't handle any more in my kitchen - were devoured 

by birds, especially robins, and the occasional squirrel. Fruits pecked open and 

savored allowed the bees to buzz in. . . . so I stayed away.

It has been a great crop this year and I have made good use of the figs. . . . . come 

on over if you want a jar of yummy jam, I have plenty, fig and lemon, fig and ginger.

Need to do some gentle pruning soon as both trees are so big now. . . . . have some 

friends who would like a fig tree of their own so I may try propagating a few to share.