"No greater thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen." Epictetus

Even a casual reader might guess, it is fig season at the rancho -- and a big one, at that.  It is curious to this creator of all things fig that so many people comment that they don't like figs, but they like Fig Newtons and they like fig jam.  Interestingly, figs go into fig jam and Fig Newtons.

So this is your Fig 101 course.  To the left, you will see 8 cups of figs.  What can be done with figs, you might ask?  This is a fruit that is truly sweet.   As an experimenter (tinkerer) with recipes, it seems it must be balanced out by savory or salty ingredients, otherwise, one could go into a diabetic coma.  Figs, however, are one of the most power-packed fruits, nutritionally speaking.  For more information on the details, please click here:  http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/figs-body-1779.html

On a practical note, though, people want to know how they can incorporate figs into their daily lives.  First off, in Mediterranean climates, such as ours, figs ripen in August.  Figs can be dehydrated for use later in the year.  Looking for more specific information on that?  Here's a link:  http://thebackcountrychef.com/dehydrator-recipes/figs/.  There is much more that can be done with figs, though.  Last week, we sliced figs down the center, inserted a chunk of goat cheese, wrapped them in prosciutto, and put them on skewers.  We then drizzled them with our own olive oil and grilled them for about 5-7 minutes.  We don't wish to become cliche, so we won't say "OMG," but wow, we just kept making more and more, and that became our dinner.  Okay, so our eating habits aren't that great, but we had wine, too, so we had that going for us (grapes, antioxidants -- all that stuff).

That's not all.  One night, we decided to tinker with incorporating them into an olive tampenade.  Figs seem to pair well with the saltiness of olives.  I made a quick recipe in the food processor of 1 can of Lindsay jumbo black olives (available at all grocers, I'm guessing:  http://www.lindsayolives.com/).  I add one clove of garlic (optional) per can of olives.  I use 1 tsp. per batch of capers (more saltiness to balance out the sweet).  Then we add a drizzle of olive oil.  We use our own olive oil because -- why wouldn't we???  We put in about 6-8 figs.  This was so good, I could have just gotten out a soup spoon and started eating it from the food processor bowl.  However, we decided to use pre-made crostini, then warmed goat cheese (salty and tangy), and the final product would be the crostini, the warmed goat cheese, and the fig/olive tampenade.  Again, we could have skipped dinner and just eaten this.  It was so delicious, and can be easily made (took about 10 minutes) and it is cost effective.  The can of olives, clove of garlic, drizzle of EVOO, and the 6-8 figs.  It's packed with antioxidants, healthy AND delicious.

What else can be done with figs?  Well, of course, jam.  If you're intimidated about making jam, this would be the easiest fruit with which to start.  Some people say strawberries are, but we'll get to strawberry/fig jam in another episode.  Essentially, you sterilize your jars (top shelf, dishwasher on sterilize cycle).  You would use about six jars per jam-making session.  Place your jar lids in boiling water (to soften them so they seal).  Start your cooker with the water about an hour before you begin to make the jam, so it's ready.  This is a very basic recipe, but gives the particulars:  http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_07/fig_jam.html.  We add cinnamon and spices and have been tinkering with things, but once you make your first batch and are successful, you'll find you can begin to play with the recipes.

Okay, so you have jam.  Now, what?  The possibilities are endless.  Try something easy, top a bagel
and cream cheese with the fig jam.  Pow!!!  Now breakfast has some antioxidants and vitamins and is much healthier, not to mention, delicious.  What else?  Well, one could marinade a pork tenderloin in it and grill it.

There are so very many things that can be done with figs.  Most people don't realize the limitless possibilities.  For further inspiration, the Valley Fig Growers have amazing ideas and recipes that can be gracing your table soon.  Here is that link:  http://www.valleyfig.com/recipes.

Enjoy the fruits and vegetables of the season.  Life will become more of a celebration of the season and all that is good.

Cheers!

The Ranch Manager