figs

I've wanted to try my hand at preserves for some time. It just seems so daunting, the whole sterilization and water bath thing and all. When Mirella brought me a crate of ripe figs this week, I finally experienced that moment of courage needed to undertake this task. I've also recently been inspired by her canning efforts; the woman is relentless.

My dad makes a mock strawberry fig preserve from time to time, so I thought I'd start there. Not patient enough to wait for a good time to get my dad on the phone, I turned to the all-powerful friend Google, where I found her recipe and decided quickly that it would be the one for me. I now wish I had looked further because look at what else I found. My guess is that anything from a woman who calls herself "Bayou Woman" is going to be good. I realize that this recipe is likely not a favorite of purists, but it seemed like a simple enough start for me.

Strawberry Fig Preserves

I'm fairly confident that my sterilization efforts were successful, and, yes, my jars did seal properly. I heard the pops and the centers are depressed. My final yield was only a fraction of what Ms. Deen suggested it should be, leaving me a bit worried about the consistency and taste of the sugar concoction. I'll be sure to let you know as I plan to crack open a jar this weekend.