Granted I have a strange sense of fun. But anything is better than making enough sauce for the entire year in just three days.
Sy came across an insanely good fig spread a couple of years back when he got a sample at a previous, food related job. It goes great with cheese and crackers, pork roast or even just a spoonful straight out the jar.
It’s expensive though. We can get it around here for about $7 a jar but that’s a bit too rich for my blood for 8.5 oz even if it is addictive.
So of course I decided to make it myself. This recipe is easy, shelf stable and can be made in any amount you want, just keep in mind the 1 to 1 fig to sugar ratio. A kitchen scale is essential but that’s the only specialized kitchen equipment one needs beyond the canning supplies.
Technically you can grow figs in my zone but I have neither the time, space nor inclination to do so. This is what farmers and wholesalers are for.
Last year my youngest sister was working at the food terminal doing the books for a cash and carry wholesaler so she gave me a call when the figs came in. The people are wonderful and anyone can walk in for a 50 lb provolone, 10 lbs of mortadella or a case of broccoli. Oh the possibilities!
For just over $25 in supplies and a few hours of my time I ended up with 13 pints that had only two ingredients (the commercial stuff understandably has citric acid and a couple of preservatives) and it kept us in fig spread for a year.
The price in 2014 terms was .82¢ an ounce for the commercial stuff and .25¢ for the homemade.
Yeah, that’s just a no-brainer.
This year I doubled the amount.
Let there be fig spread!
