Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Figgerin' It Out

Day 294: I think I've got it figgered out. Some of them will be eaten out of the hand. Some will be turned into jam, and others will be reduced to fig leather, and some may even be dried. Along with raspberries, I'm of the mind that figs are something you can never have too many of, although you might be inclined to consume too many when they come on with a flourish. These came from a friend's tree, along with enough frozen ones to fill a large cooler. The variety is Desert King, hardy here in the Pacific Northwest, and obviously quite productive, given the proper care. My own four-foot tree has yet to produce a single fig, so I am grateful for being allowed a share of Karen's harvest. Her tree is about 25 years old, fifteen feet tall and at least that wide. We barely put a dent in the number of figs on its boughs. Cooler weather is coming, so Thursday and Friday are allotted for figgering how best to preserve them, given the current shortage of canning lids in stores.

Update 8/4: Although it may firm up over the next few days, I don't think I got a good set on my first batch of jam. Consequently, the remainder of the fresh figs are now in the dehydrator, eight full trays. The frozen figs can wait for cooler weather.

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