Figs to sell? Coast residents want them

If anyone has fresh figs for sale, Coastians are clamoring for them.

A fellow reader called Lynette Faul of Gulfport wanting figs. Unfortunately, Faul says the only figs left on her tree are green ones. She has either used hers or given them away to friends.

A post of mine on Facebook brought several others wanting to purchase figs, so if anyone has figs to sell let me know.

Figs, as I said in a prior column, have ripened early this year. My go-to grower and green thumb friend, Naomi Coleman, says that figs came in about two weeks early this year. She was surprised when her son told her that figs were ripe for the picking.

Figs come in quickly and go quickly. The fruit must be picked at least once a day. They are hard work for the growers.

For the purchaser, figs sour quickly. I usually use mine the first day I buy them. If Coleman can’t cook hers immediately, she puts them in sugar water for several hours until she can use them in preserves. A great tip from a great cook.

Lilly and I had the opportunity to visit with her last week, and her kitchen smelled so good. She had fig preserves bubbling on the stove and fresh peas with bacon cooking on the back burner. She said the peas would have been great if she had okra to put in them.

I told her that Mr. Smith in Long Beach had some great-tasting okra. I purchased some for okra and tomatoes. I like the smaller pods, and his were just right and not the least bit stringy or hard. He sells the okra for $3 a pound; some Coast stores are selling it for $5 or so.

While visiting Coleman, I munched on fresh figs that she had spread on the table, so many that I skipped lunch. I truly believe figs are best eaten right off the trees.

Peggy West of Long Beach agrees. She picked some figs, planning to make strawberry preserves, but ended up not having enough figs left to do so.

I feel her pain. Elyssa and I did the same thing. I made a batch of fig preserves, just the plain, old-timey ones without the strawberry gelatin. I had a good bit left and was going to make the strawberry figs, but like West, Elyssa and I ate so many of the fresh ones, I didn’t have enough for strawberry fig preserves.

The Facebook post about making fig preserves had friends and readers responding from Texas to Virginia, with only a couple saying they did not care for figs. Others were wishing they still had access to figs or had fig trees.

One friend put up 15 jars yesterday, and yet another put up more than that. Coleman makes preserves every year, keeps a few jars and gives family and friends the rest.

Since the response to preserves was so good, I thought I would share both the fig preserve and the strawberry fig preserve recipes.

Angie Jones of Gulfport, who watches sugar content in her cooking, asked what sweetener I used. If I make regular preserves for Elyssa, I use sugar. If the preserves are for me, I use agave to sweeten the figs. I also have used Splenda, and I know others use stevia. Splenda does not have an aftertaste to me, but often does not dissolve as well as I would like when cooked. I have little luck with stevia. The aftertaste gets me every time.

Don’t hate me stevia lovers, but I just don’t use it. Yes, I know its health benefits, but I don’t like it.

Wanted: Fig cookies

A friend of Coleman’s wants a recipe for Fig Newton-like bars. Readers, if you have this recipe please send it to me.

FIG PICKLES

4 quarts firm, ripe figs, about 30 medium

5 cups sugar divided

2 quarts water

3 cups vinegar

2 sticks cinnamon

1 tablespoon whole allspice

1 tablespoon whole cloves

Peel figs. If unpeeled figs are preferred, pour boiling water over figs and let stand until cool; drain.

Combine 3 cups sugar and water; cook until sugar is dissolved. Add figs and cook slowly 30 minutes. Add 2 cups sugar and vinegar. Tie spices in a spice bag; add to figs. Cook gently until figs are clear. Cover; let stand 12 to 24 hours in a cool place. Remove spice bag. Bring mixture to a simmer. Pack hot figs and liquid into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.

Remove air bubbles. Adjust 2-pies caps. Process pints and quarts 15 minutes in a boiling water canner. Yield: about 8 pints. – From “Ball Blue Book”

STRAWBERRY FIG PRESERVES

3 cups mashed figs, cut off both ends

3 cups sugar

2 small packages strawberry gelatin

Combine and cook 7 minutes after mixture comes to a rolling boil.

Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

Note: When I make this for me, I use 1/2 agave and 1/2 Splenda instead of sugar to equal 3 cups of sugar. I also use sugar-free strawberry gelatin.

FIG PRESERVES

2 1/2 quarts figs, small ones left whole, larger ones halved

2 cups sugar; I use as little sugar as possible and still make the figs sweet

1 cup water, to keep figs from sticking

Put figs in large pot. Add sugar and water. I do not add lemon slices because I like the pure fig taste. I bring the figs to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 2 hours or so until tender and cooked down. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

Note: I put my fig preserves in freezer bags in freezer. I also keep some in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Andrea Yeager can be reached at ayeager51@cableone.net and Cooks Exchange, 205 DeBuys Road, Gulfport, MS 39507.