Getting Figgy Wit It

Greetings! The Roady home has figs coming out of our EARS. This happens every year when this ever growing tree manages to produce more and more figs. My mom pawns them off on neighbors, force feeds them to my grandma, and lets way too many go to waste. Not this year, buddy. I've always mentioned making something with them like jam or a cake and now that I have all this time on my hands (read: unemployment) I will actually do something with them! My good ol buddy epicurious provided the inspiration. What's funny is I don't even like fresh figs... The texture completely grosses me out. Figs and persimmons. No thank you. Currently simmering on the stove: Drunken Fig Jam , a la Bon Apetit, Oct 2008.

Ingredients

• 1 lemon, washed
• 2 cups organic sugar 
• 4 1/2 cups fresh figs, cleaned, stems trimmed, and diced
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions

Use a vegetable peeler to remove yellow skin from lemon. Cut into matchsticks. Combine lemon peel, sugar, figs, salt and brandy into heavy, large, deep sauce pan. Stir to combine ingredients and let sit for an hour at room temperature, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium and boil until mixture has reduced and thickened, 30-40 minutes. While it cooks you may chose to mash figs into a finer texture. I chose to leave my jam chunktastic. 

After mixture cools you may jar it like a professional, or just pour it into a jar and keep it for a week or two.  This is why I chose to make a smaller recipe. This recipe could be further divided, but if you're going to go through the trouble to make jam, make a bunch and share it with friends and family. 

Ick.

Mom (accusingly): "DID YOU USE MY GOOD BRANDY?" Me: "Whoa, lady."

Before simmering.

So many figs!

Hmm... found a champagne cork in the garden. Guess I know what my parents have been up to while I've been away. . . 

Tia Maria.

In other news, I have a job interview this week that is 50/50 chance a Craigslist scam. That ought to make for a super post this week. Also, more figs to come!

Until then, watch every video on this youtube channel. I'm in love with Adele right now.