Figs in three different way

In May came cherries, followed by strawberries. In June matured velvety soft apricots, peaches and nectarines, July brought grapes and watermelons. Now in August dark purple plums are glowing and sweet figs falling from the trees. Next we wait for yellow lemons, mandarins and oranges. The fruit season in Croatia is glowingly colorful, fragrant and super tasty.

Today I got eight kilos of figs delivered on my doorstep. They came from the brother of our landlady, picked today, organic and so ripe as possible. There went my plan to clean the apartment, instead it was going to be a sweet fig day. Fortunately, I had washed laundry yesterday, so the drying rack was free and no reservations for the next few days. So, figs are pierced by the wooden skewers and on they go to the drying rack. I had came up with this plan as a drying method when I ordered those eight kilos few days ago. It is airy and I can move the whole batch on the balcony as needed. The result should be sun-dried, easy to store yummy bites. Just have to remember to wipe the wires on the drying rack, there may be some stickiness at the end of this project ...

About a third of the whole pile of these goodies ended up into the kettle, the most ripe and soft ones. Added just a little sugar and of we go. After about one hour of cooking and the quick mixing with the blender, I had a smooth super good jam ready for the jars. I so much see myself enjoying this heavenly stuff with some cheese and red wine later on when the evenings get chilly. At his point, the word of warning: a boiling bubbly jam shoots dangerous darts that are quite uncomfortable when bumping into your skin. Hard mixing prevents the worst attacks, goggles are almost recommended.

Need to test this output also as a tasty sweetener in my oatmeal porridge breakfast, probably healthier than emptying all the jars with cheeses and wine. Couple of jars may also end up in Finland as we pop in there next week. 

I think the best way to enjoy figs is just to eat them while they are fresh and juicy. The most commonly found variety here produces yellowish green fruits that are reddish brown inside. They do look a bit different that those green and violet ones you mostly see in the shops elsewhere. I have seen some trees with those dark ones hanging in them but they make a minority of all the figs here. Some sources claim that fig is the sweetest fruit in the world, with as much as 70% of its dry weight being sugar. No wonder that the fresh ones dribble this glossy liquid that makes sure the eater ends up with sticky fingers. And keyboard.