And apples, though we haven’t tackled the huge bagful yet.
we’ve picked figs most days this week and eaten them for lunch with feta cheese or prosciutto and salad, and I’ve eaten a few more – that is, one every time I’ve gone past the bowl because a fresh fig is a wonderful thing and the season is so short. We didn’t pick any yesterday though, because it rained in the morning and we forgot. There were a lot ripe. Two and a half kilos, in fact – about fifty figs, and we didn’t even try to get those at the top of the tree, nor the ones with clusters of wasps around. I did grab one, not realising that a couple of wasps were on the back of it, but they were perfectly charming and moved onto another fruit that was bursting with ripeness. I was appreciative that they didn’t sting, nor even buzz annoyedly, so was very happy to leave them their share.
I’ve made a batch of tomato relish – we made lots last year and it’s a very good recipe as it can be used straight away, unlike most chutneys that have to wait for several months. The secret is adding pickled onions and gherkins at the last, which have matured already. And Tim has cooked down several more pounds of tomatoes for sauces.
There are far too many figs for even greedy Z to manage – this is the biggest crop I’ve ever had, by a long way – and I’ve made a spiced fig jam with walnuts, which is meant to be eaten with cheese. I’ve got more figs marinading for jam and another batch will be a confit, with Marsala. They’re jobs for the morning though. I’m a bit tired now. Bread and yoghurt have also been made – I must go and pot up the yoghurt while I remember.
Early night, darlings. Bye bye xx
I think it can be said that you give a fig!
The wasp numbers have started increasing this way. They are currently distracted by the abundance of blackberries, so not yet noticing me. I’m just hoping that when the time comes that the Queens don’t hibernate in the wood stack. Nothing worse than being attacked by a wasp in the middle of Winter – so unseasonal!
Sx
I haven’t noticed that many wasps all summer but, like you, there are lots of them now the fruits are ripe. As long as they aren’t bad tempered, I don’t mind. We seem to get hornets overwintering here, which is odd as I hardly ever see a hornet in the summer.