THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 4, 1996 TAG: 9608060522
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By BETTY DOUGLASS, SPECIAL TO FLAVOR
LENGTH: 65 lines
When we moved to Hampton Roads in 1952, we had a fig tree in our yard. That summer I couldn't wait for the fruit to ripen; I hadn't had fresh figs since my college days in California.
Before college, the only figs I remembered were those in Fig Newtons, and the dried figs served at Christmas.
These days, fresh figs, which are highly perishable, can still be hard to come by in the stores, although they are easier to find in August and September. Many Hampton Roads residents still have the grand, big-leaved trees in their yards and the soft knobs of fruit ripen in abundance this time of year - but only if the tree didn't suffer from last winter's cold.
Local cooks frequently use figs to make preserves, conserves and pickles, but figs may be poached in wine for dessert, cut into tulip shapes and stuffed with ricotta or baked into a cake.
When choosing fresh figs, look for fruit that is as soft and as ripe as possible. ``Sniff fresh figs before buying. A sour odor means the fruit had begun to ferment and spoil,'' says Janet Bailey in her book, ``Keeping Food Fresh'' (Dial Press, 1985).
Avoid bruised figs, but fruit shriveled by the sun will taste especially sweet, according to ``Cooking A to Z'' by the California Culinary Academy.
Ripe figs need to be kept on a paper-towel-lined tray in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Use the figs within a day or two.
For dessert or a special breakfast, try figs peeled, sliced and served with a sprinkle of sugar and a splash of cream. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
RICHARD L. DUNSTON/The Virginian-Pilot
When choosing fresh figs, look for fruit that is as soft and ripe as
possible. An extra hint: fruit shriveled by the sun will taste
especially sweet.
Graphic
BOILING WATER BATH METHOD OF CANNING
This method for processing canned foods is from ``The Ball Blue
Book, the Guide to Home Canning, Freezing and Dehydration''
(Altrista Corp., 1995).
Food must be processed immediately after packing into hot jars
and adjusting lids and bands. Jar that have been raw packed (foods
in the jar are raw) should be placed into a canner in hot water. If
foods are hot when they are packed, the water in the canner should
be boiling.
When the jars are placed in the canner, the temperature of the
water will decrease. Add boiling water, if necessary, to bring the
water an inch or two over tops of the jars. Do not pour the water
directly onto glass jars, because they may break.
Cover the canner and bring the water to a rolling boil. Start
counting processing time at point the rolling boil begins. Allow the
water to boil gently but steadily for the time required.
Process 1/2 pint jars of preserves or pickles for 10 minutes and
pint jars 15 minutes in a water bath.
Add boiling water, as needed, to keep tops of jars covered.
Remove the containers from the canner immediately when the
processing time is up. Cool with space between each jar on a tray
until completely cool before storing. by CNB