Figs, figs, figs!

[Andrea]

My two Mission Fig trees are producing a bumper crop for me, woohoo! Do any of you have a favorite way to preserve them? This is the first year they've produced more than we can eat fresh. I'm going to throw some in the dehydrator. Any other thoughts?

http://californiafreshfigs.com/new/all_about.php

[Ambergris]

Chop (at least in quarters) before dehydrating. They're a whole lot easier to cut before drying, and dry a whole lot faster to boot. I like mixed chips of fig, apple, and candied ginger in my hot cereals and in my spice-cake muffins.

 

My family used to make strawberry jam out of them, using strawberry Jello for flavor and coloring.

[Andrea]

Ambergris, thanks for the tip! I thought of making a jam out of them, especially since they are one of the fruits that don't require pectin. But my family and I just don't eat jam anymore so it would just sit in the pantry until I got tired of looking at it! But we do eat dehydrated fruits and I'm going to freeze some as well to toss into our breakfast smoothies. Thanks for the tip on quartering them and you're right, bits of dehydrated fig would be totally delicious in spice muffins.

[Twilight]

I have always wanted to try fig nutons , they said the home made ones are so much better