Friday, October 20, 2017

Fig Jam, Infused with Cinnamon & Vanilla

A burst of bright pink bougainvillea is a stunning showstopper on this otherwise
low key street, in the village of Lefkes, on the island of Paros, Greece.

Hello everyone, Happy Fall!
It's been a while since my last post 
- it was an extra busy summer.
For those of you who are still here, 
thanks for sticking around; I appreciate it!

After a refreshing swim, a golden sunset saturates the sky and illuminates the sea at Agios Prokopios, on the island of Naxos. This was taken waiting at the bus stop for our ride back to Chora.

Soon after Liberty returned from Norway, we set out 
for the islands of Naxos and Paros, which were idyllic
in every way. If you follow me on Instagram, you've
already seen the charming beauty of these places.


But, today's post is about jam, fig jam, to be precise. If
you remember, in my last post, we had a wonderful
harvest of this fruit, and so I decided to try my hand
at cooking, sterilizing and canning the sweet stuff, as
a surprise welcome home gift for Libby, who loves it!


I admit, I was somewhat nervous about the sterilization
 and canning process - boiling the glass jars, then heating 
them in the oven - yikes! But now, after having experienced 
these two stages in practice, I'm more confident.

 

Rich and jewel toned, this recipe for fig jam, infused with vanilla essence and aromatic cinnamon, is a treat for the taste buds. Its orange sapphire glow is pure eye candy, while its sweet and spicy scent is irresistibly appetizing. This fig jam is so versatile; its unique flavour complements both sweet and savoury dishes. I especially like to spread it on two slices of sourdough bread that are then topped with a slice of low fat Gouda and shavings of smoked, honey glazed ham. 
Two minutes in the panini press and presto!
 - you have the perfect comfort food sandwich! 


Fig Jam


Ingredients:
2 lbs figs, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cup water
pinch of salt
 1 tsp. vanilla essence
 1 cinnamon stick 


Directions:



Peel the figs into a large saucepan, and add the remaining ingredients.



Bring to a boil until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, uncovered, continuing to stir occasionally for about an hour, or until the liquid is thick and sticky and drops heavily from the ladle. Remove from heat and discard cinnamon stick.
Sterilization and Canning: 
NOTE: Start sterilizing jars and lids when your jam is about 20 minutes away
 from being ready, since the jam needs to be hot when placed in the hot jars. 



After you've checked that there are no chips or dents in your  jars and lids, wash them in hot, soapy water, rinsing well. Turn upside down on a clean tea towel that has been placed in a baking pan. Place jars and lids in a pan of very hot water. Gently boil them for 20 minutes. Do not boil on high, as they may bang into each other and break! 

 

Remove with tongs and place upside down on clean tea towel lining a baking pan. 



Place pan with jars, lids and tea towel in oven, set to 212ºF and heat for 15 minutes. Don't worry; the tea towel won't burn. Immediately after removing the jars and lids from the oven, fill with hot jam, leaving about 1/8 of an inch of space from the top. Be careful when pouring jam into jars. If any gets on the rims, this could cause bacteria, as well as not allowing the lids from sealing properly. Always fill hot jars with hot ingredients and cold jars with cold ingredients, since filling a hot jar with a cold ingredient may cause it to shatter. Close tightly, turn upside down and bring to room temperature. Turn right side up, and store in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight for up to one year.  Once opened, keep in the fridge for up to one month.


 Next summer, when figs are in season once again
and readily available, please give this recipe a try.
It really is scrumptious!


Thanks for visiting!
xo
Poppy

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38 comments:

  1. So lovely to see your post, Poppy! I absolutely love your new header and background, and your photos are just gorgeous! The fig jam looks wonderful, too!

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  2. Your fig jam sounds wonderful, Poppy, and would be so delicious in that ham and cheese grilled sandwich. Wonderful photos, too.

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  3. Well, you know me and my love affair with figs, and knowing YOU this is probably the most delicious fig jam there is.

    I use a funnel when filling jars, the kind made specifically for canning with large mouths. Don't know what I'd do without it!

    Your header is so cheerful!

    xxx

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  4. Hi Poppy. Love the new look to your blog and wow wow wow those beautiful flowers. Stunning. Happy Day my friend.
    Kris

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  5. The key picture is the bougainvillea and the blue steps! Yowzers! We do not see blue steps! Thank you for the recipe.....I don't cook! I adore the pictures on your blog!! Thank you!!!

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  6. Your friend, my Poppy, is a freshman at Stanford University now! Going to visit her nexr week! Sheesh! How does that happen so fast! I love you and your blog! I hope to see Crete!

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  7. It's great to see you posting again, Poppy! The fig jam looks delicious and I can imagine that it goes very well with cheese. Wow, the magenta bougainvillea is gorgeous, especially with the white wall and the blue shutter and steps in the picture. You must be very happy that Liberty is back and you can spend time together. I hope she had a good time in Norway.
    Have a wonderful weekend!
    xo Julia

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  8. First I admired your new header, the lay out is beautiful with the branches showing the blog´s name and autumn, clever done. The fig jam looks delicious and especially beautiful on last photo with the Lantana flowers and Tagetus, so tasteful. I copy the recipe for a friend who has a fig tree against a south wall. She gave me some weeks ago a little jar with fig jam made of figs with crème de cassis. I have not yet tried it.
    Have a lovely weekend!

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  9. So glad to see a post from Poppy. Missed seeing your posts. Great new look.

    I love Fig jam and cut figs in pieces and eat it with goat cheese.

    thanks for the recipe will give it a try next year.

    Hope all is well and so glad that you had a terrific visit with your daughter.

    Hugs,
    Mary

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  10. Fig jam sounds wonderful and I have never eaten a fig before. I wonder if I can find it around here. My Mom use to can food all the time until she had an accident. Looks like you did a great job.

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  11. OHMYGOSH!!!

    YOU are rich and jewel toned!
    you had me with the opening color of magenta in that most gorgeous display going up those stairs.
    and then I had to laugh thinking of that view simply waiting for a bus!
    can you imagine living with that kind of beauty in such mundane things of ordinary life? well. of course you can! look who I'm asking. LOL.
    and what a labor of love for little liberty.
    the pictures of your final jars of jam on the lovely china with vibrant flowers belong in a magazine. I love it all.
    don't you love the name fig? I do. fig jam! made by poppykathleen. XO♥

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  12. Thre's nothing to compare with the beauty of the Greek islands and with the delicacy of their food products.
    Your homemade fig jam looks like a masterpiece of fruit preservation.
    Thanks for sharing the process of turning those wonderful green figs into a delicious jam.

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  13. So good to see you! Happy Fall! Your Jam looks wonderful, I wish I could taste it. :) Glad you are doing well. Take care and have a great Fall. :) Kit

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  14. Hello Poppy, What a fabulous bougainvillea as you lead picture. Good for you to make delicious fig jam. It looks and I am sure tastes delicious. I did make jam once and know how much work it takes.
    Wishing you a great weekend.
    Helen xx

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  15. Oh Poppy...this jam looks absolutely heavenly! If it tastes anything close to way you have presented it, it most certainly is delectable. I have never canned anything in my life either...does that mean there is still hope for me?? Your photos are phenomenal. thank you for the recipe and tutorial! HUGS!

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  16. Oh my, this sounds like heaven! I just love figs and would love to try this recipe. I don't see fresh figs in the grocery store much but I use the ring of figs in my Italian Christmas cookies. I wonder if those will work. I will have to try it!

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  17. Your jam looks amazing, Poppy, I love figs.
    Amalia
    xo

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  18. I just love figs...and cheese, together!
    Always so nice visiting your blog Poppy :)
    Love from Titti

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  19. Poppy I have also made jams in the past but ended up with mold after a few weeks. Thanks for sharing this with us so that next time I get my hand on some figs I can try it. We have plenty of fig trees over at the farm.

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    1. Hi Mary,

      Too bad! After all that work, not to be able to enjoy your jam, must have been disappointing! Did you go through the sterilization and canning process? If not, yes, please give this recipe and instructions for those stages a try and let me know how it goes.

      Have you got a farm in the states or do you mean back in Greece?

      Hope you're settling in well in NYC!

      Happy weekend,
      Poppy

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  20. I am going to give this a try. I've canned in the US and love it, but use the lids and rings method so I've never really quite understood how to make the jars seal here until your post. Do they make a popping noise or anything to let you know they've sealed or do you just assume they have? Thanks for getting me off my duff and trying something new!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Jackie,

      Welcome back!

      Yes, you must really close the lids very tightly, and of course, when you go to open a jar, the lid must pop, otherwise, it has not been sealed properly and could be dangerous to consume. So far, we've opened two jars, and each one pleasantly popped! I got my husband to seal them, just to be sure!

      Thanks for your question and good luck if you give it a go next summer. You should be able to find delicious figs in your neck of the woods!

      Happy weekend,
      Poppy

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  21. Hello Poppy! It's always a treat to see you pop up in my feed. Canning has always looked too complicated and scary for this simple DIY gal. Your directions make it look doable...and delicious! Thanks for sharing the process. Enjoy your week my friend.

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  22. Hi Poppy, lovely to have your company once again for Mosaic Monday, your recipe for fig jam sounds wonderful and I'll try and make some next year.
    Naxos and Parks both look fabulous, I could gaze at that stunning scenery for hours at a time, so lovely.
    Maggie

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  23. Beautiful .... sounds as if you had a wonderful summer and the jam looks just scrumptious.

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  24. I'm so happy to see you here my friend. And I love figs and the cinnamon and vanilla would be a nice compliment! Love your Autumn banner! Sweet hugs, Diane

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  25. So lovely to read your post.
    Your photographs are lovely and thanks for sharing the recipe.

    Happy Autumn Wishes

    All the best Jan

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  26. I had never eaten a fig until recently. A neighbor has a tree and brought over figs. We gave them a try and love them.

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  27. Congratulations on your jam - we recently prepared plum jam and I shared your trepidation about the sterilization process. It was so worth it, and your post is more proof! My husband and I love figs in all their edible forms, so we will add this to our cooking list for the future!

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  28. Wow....you have been busy....the fig jam looks delicious!
    Love the pink flowers against that blue sky...
    Happy weekend,
    Ruby

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  29. Fig jam is so delicious! I'll try the recipe next year... Brittany had a rather cold summer this year and there were no figs on my neighbour's trees.

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  30. Your fig jam recipe looks amazing, and the thought of it in a sandwich, oh my! I enjoyed your tutorial about how to safely can the jam without water bathing it. I live the first picture you shared, that bougainvilla is amazing, and your picture stunning!!

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  31. Poppy, welcome back!
    Good to see your new blog post on my sidebar. Very timely, as we have tons of figs here at our Maryland home. I will give it a try. It will be wonderful to enjoy it during winter. Wish me luck.
    xo
    L

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  32. Wow, I bet that fig jam is absolutely delicious! Who is Libby...or is that your nickname for Liberty?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Melanie,

      Yes, Libby is short for Liberty. She was baptized 'Eleftheria', after my mom and the Greek Orthodox saint, Agios Eleftherios, which also happens to be Libby's father's name. Hope I haven't confused you!:))

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  33. Oh my gosh, this looks so yummy! I don't have access to many figs here, but you have me wanting to look for some. Visiting from Friendship Friday!
    Happy Weekend!
    Theresa @ Shoestring Elegance

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  34. No one captures sunlight and shadow with their camera as beautifully as you do, Poppy!

    RH has always loved fig jam and his mother used to make it for him. Can you believe I've never tried it? I certainly would yours if I were so fortunate to be there at teatime.

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Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I really appreciate hearing from all of you! Have a great day!