. Kellie Im in the northeast too & I have 3 Chicago Hardy fig trees that stay in the ground year round. We have a gorgeous fig tree out back that is overflowing with fruit right now. Can the jars of figs in a hot water bath canner for 5 minutes (adjusting for altitude if needed). Theyre fantastically sweet with an interesting texture from the seeds that make some people absolutely loathe them. Growing Figs in the Pacific Northwest Desert King Fig Download a pdf on Growing Figs Though figs ( Ficus carica) are of Mediterranean origin, they thrive and fruit well in the Pacific Northwest. Desert King has some resistance against the wind and in very cold, rainy and windy Springs, its brebas usually resist while other fig cultivars drop most of their fruits. 2023 The Seasoned Mom. Desert King Fig Tree - Strawberry jam flesh, heat and drought resistant. Theres no better way to enjoy a bunch of figs than turning them into fig preserves! We have a beautiful Desert King in our yard that I have left unharvested two years in a row now. My friend have them for 5 years without figs. Design by Purr. I got a ton of fresh horse manure delivered. Both trees have been prolific for the last 4 years that Ive lived here. . I use the crockpot and cook on low overnight (so fragrant) and low chance of scorching. See the Main & Breba Crop Review tabs for those reviews. Its really easy to make. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Super Easy, I didnt have a lemon so I used the zest and juice of one orange. RECIPE: Fresh Fig and Ginger Jam Makes 6-7 half-pints Ingredients 3 pounds of fresh figs 3.5 cups of sugar juice of one lemon or lime 2/3 cup of crystallized or candied ginger Preparation Wash figs and remove any fleshy, woody stems. I have a 10+ year old Desert Kig fig tree in my Seattle backyard. These old-fashioned fig preserves require just 3 ingredients and no pectin! Regard Hi, Denny! Regular price Once the jars are filled and processed in the hot water bath for 10 minutes, place the jars on a dish towel on the counter. Fig Jam Instructions 1. I increased the amount of figs but kept the sugar the same since figs are so sweet. ~no deer dont eat fig trees ,they dont like them ,i guess its the sap ~. Good Luck! A judicious thinning out of the older wood occasionally would seem to be the best procedure. I am in zone 7 (Grandview,Wa) which is east of the Cascades but am renting and do not want to disturb the tree much if I move. Close the jars and allow to cool to room temperature. I havent seen that variety since leaving Seattle more than a decade []. So they are happy and giving back which makes me happy. CHP ARRIVED ON SCENE. Do you use sugar as a preservative? The thinly-sliced lemon is another classic ingredient, which adds acidic brightness to balance out the sweetness of the figs. I read your about tag and if you live in Philly you can absolutely grow your own fig trees very easily and you dont even have to wrap them in the winter. Just get a largish pot, good potting soil and keep the tree trimmed to the height you desire and it will branch out and become more shrubby which is good for growing figs in pots. Have any of you had experience with them? It is taking a while to actually pick up and grow so I havent gotten much out of it but what I do get is amazing. Store the jam in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. But I lost track and didnt cut the water by half 1 gal. Do you know where to find such grafts? For instance, smaller figs will freeze more quickly than large figs. Divide the figs and syrup between sterilized jars. Figs area soft, sweet fruit with a thin skin and contains many small seeds inside. Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe! Had > 300 figs this year: 200 went to the happy birds and bees, 100 went to me and ahppy neighbors. I-80 West at Cherry Glen Rd onramp. I usually prune mine in late winter say February or March. Get the recipe. I heard late winter. Hi: Enjoyed this info with pix. How Sweet Eats. As a result, I find that its most helpful to use a candy or deep-fry thermometer to know exactly when the mixture reaches the jelling point of 220-225F. When my neighbors Brown Turkey figs ripened early this year (thanks to a warm winter in Virginia), she was happy to share some with us. [] nostalgia talking, by the way. Dismiss. I was quite pleased with the outcome. Written by Angela Dice. We live in Vancouver, B.C. It not only proved most people wrong, but it also has ended up being the fig to grow in the cold north were the summers are too cool to grow main crop figs. https://youtu.be/cX1pykTmKps Sprinkle the figs with sugar and place the lid on the container. Im so happy youre enjoying the recipethank you for your comment! Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Figsare technically not a fruit, theyre actually inverted flowers. It is a large, deep-green fig with strawberry-red flesh. Thanks Tom. They are sticks so when should I clip the topsto get them to branch out?!? Its a texture, consistency, and wallop of sweetness not duplicated in any fruit. Once the sterilized jars are full and sealed, set the hot jars on a rack in a canner or in a large pot of boiling water. Ive made fig jam with honey, walnuts, lemon zest, other flavors, but never vanilla. The taste of Desert King is a like eating a mildy sweet strawberry Jam. This fig tree produces brebas with excellent organoleptic qualities, of large size, melting in the mouth and very sugared. Let me show you. I forgot it was under there! One of the easiest jams to make, theres very little prep work necessary. One is a Calamyrna (green) and the other is a Mission (black/dark purple). Have any of you had experience with them? Please submit your review accordingly. I have an Im obsessed with figs. Desert King figs before theirbrief encounter withsweet cream and shortbread cookies. I love figs, but havent had access to many at a time until we moved into our new house last year. (Plates 12; 16, B.). Hope it okay. figs are awesome! Im guessing to just simmer it longer?? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB0D_tuKgtQ And yes, you should prune it when its dormant, as the sap is sticky and caustic if you prune when leafed out, plus you can better see the structure of the tree. I would keep the tree at least 15 feet away from the house. My question is when to prune. Just dont prune out too much of last years wood which has the fruiting buds. Well maybe Ill have to correct that this bareroot season. In each pint-size jar add 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice, for quart jars add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice per jar. Im onto my second batch of jam because the first is gone already. season. CHP Unit 25-P36 - VIA MDC FOR HIGHWAY WIDENING/EXPRESS LANE. Thank you! What do I do now? This recipe is incredibly simple no peeling, mashing, or chopping necessary! . Quantity. Quarter figs. Here is the recipe, and in most fig-friendly climates you've still got plenty of time to make this. saucepot. This fig tree also produces a main crop, pyriform and flattened with a dark strawberry pulp. My husband LOVED it, but I wanted to try it with less sugar and lemon. While we like to eat them fresh, they're also wonderful in preserves and desserts. I wonder what would be a good distance from the south facing wall of our home in Portland? Transfer figs with the liquid that has collected while the figs macerated in the sugar to a 5 quart or larger slow cooker. Love that you made this in the crockpot! I hear you Dave, as mine are now fenced off. I just put it in this year, along with the potted violetta. In our area, the second crop rarely ripens, quite normal here. Ive never tried rooting fig trees in fresh horse manure. And heres how to tell when they are ripe, http://www.tallcloverfarm.com/351/how-to-know-when-a-fig-is-ripe-and-ready-to-pick, WOW My Desert King is a giant and taller , way taller than my house and this year is covered with hundreds of lovely figs and they are sweeter this year than ever before,, So wonderful to know what kind of fig tree I have in this great city of Eugene, Oregon,,, Joy to the World,,,, This is truly Gods nectar,, Namaste. Desert King comes from a fig tree found in 1930, near Madera, California. Paired with fresh rhubarb, port wine, and orange zest, it has a flavor reminiscent of the holidays. Do I need to cook it some more and then pour it back in jars? I didnt make that clear! The trick is to them grown tall enough to higher than a deers munch and short enough to reach with a step ladder and not encourage the local birds. Amazingly easy. This way it has good air circulation and wont crowd next to your house while keeping the leaves out of the gutter. However we really love them!About | FAQ | Privacy Policy | Comment Policy | Disclosure Policy | Advertising. See the General & Breba Crop Review tabs for those reviews. The end result is a perfectly balanced jam. want to try some recipes out, I have seen several varieties for Its not overly sweet and goes so well with both savory or dessert like recipes. Perhaps because the figs were so fresh and very sweet to begin with. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This is from the USDA. It was amazing. frankly, a rather cruel taunt to my rumbling tummy.). And of all the figs you can grow in the Pacific Northwest, Desert King (a name that belies its happy habit in a cool climate) is one of the earliest and least fussy varieties I know of. I live in Hillsboro, OR and I bought one of these trees for my back yard a couple years ago. The huge pot allowed me to moved it when needed, to get enough heat/shade and take it in in the winter- just in case. of a lemon, sliced paper-thin and seeds removed. This whole fig preserves recipe starts with the whole fruit (just the stems removed). 1 pint sugar. . I have 2 trees that set early fruit and have access to 3 other trees as well. No juices came out. $ 21.95 - $ 42.95 One of the best varieties for the Northwest, Desert King is very productive and reliable, producing abundant, yellowish-green figs with sweet and richly flavorful, strawberry colored flesh. which can be sweeter and have caramel notes. Reduce the heat to low, add the lemon slices, and cook for about 2 hours (or until the syrup is thick). About 1930, cuttings from a fig tree growing near Madera, California, were planted by Sisto Pedrini, Western Evergreen Company, at Los Altos and at San Francisco. Plus I just prefer to use as little sugar as possible. Can you just use lemon juice from a bottle or does it actually have to be a real lemon? Wipe the rims clean with a damp cloth, then secure the lids and bands. Or cook for 2 hours until its about 220? (By the way, Its also a great topping for baked brie! Fig Jam Bars Diethood. I hope they turn out. [] in the week, I waxed on about a fig named Desert King;juicy,prolific, dependable andone of my favorites. I was browsing the comments I saw yours. I have a lot of figs that I froze over summer.do you think that would work okay? Fig jam is so expensive in the market. Next time I will use half the sugar. These old-fashioned fig preserves require just 3 ingredients and no pectin! Grilled Brie with Apples & Fig Jam Brie, Havarti, sliced apples, fig jam, on Parmesan-crusted multigrain bread. Great recipe, I doubled it and made 8 small jars. It got a great start before the heat, in a large pot. Reviewer HappyHippie says, "I made these preserves last year and jarred them to give out at the Holidays. Reduce heat to minimum and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes (lid on), stirring . Oh, take me home country roads! This spring, I made a batch using the frozen pured figs. Desert King is a great tasting fig! Using the spice trio of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, these preserved figs feature a bold flavor. Most fresh fig neophytes take pausebefore making some odd faces. Zones 6-10. Lola the same thing happened to me many years ago when I saw my first Desert King fig. In the PNW desert king is great because it is cold hardy and the Breba ripen in our short growing season. I actually kept wondering why the figs never ripened and left them hanging on the branch. I would like to plant a desert king fig tree to also serve as a shade tree for our south facing bedroom window. Apparently, it has to be grafted with a fruit-producing grafts to grow small avocados. They are four months old! The low-maintenance trees set a large early crop between late June and August and . Store processed jars for up to 1 year at room temperature. Yes, the sugar is the preservative but I dont can this recipe. Thank you for posting your recipe. It makes an excellent companion to a variety of cheeses so if you have some canning skillsyou may want to save some for your holiday soirees. One reviewer describes it as "excellent with sharp Cheddar.". 14. Now you can enjoy the sweet taste of figs all year long. To large of a discrepancy when you need the exact 50-50 proportion. Dont forget that the preserves will continue to thicken as they cool and set. Once again Tom, you have enlightened me! Your email address will not be published. This was a quick and easy recipe but way too sweet. For all you folks who want to save the figs from the birds- get a fruit tree net and use your hoe to gently get it over the top of the bush. If you need to jazz them up, serve them with a dollop of crme frache or mascarpone cheese. Hi Tom: The Title, Comments and Growing Conditions are the only required fields for Breba Crop Reviews. No added pectin.. Oh my goodness, Leia! Port Orchard Restaurant Bay Street Bistro Working to Build Community, Restaurant Q&A: Silver City Restaurant and Brewery, Weekend food events: Lavender festival foods, Bite of Seattle, strawberry festival, Bremerton will have a second farmers market on Sundays, Kitsap Community and Agricutural Alliance, Canning, pickling and other preservation classes offered. Hi linda, Its still coming out perfectly sweet. Instead, the slow cooking process allows the figs and sugar to naturally thicken on their own. Whats thisStellaa fig I dont have? I didnt know what I had! Hi! Im so glad you loved it! . Reduce heat to medium low, add sliced figs and continue to simmer until figs have softened. Yeah, it doesnt last too long here either. suggestions for helping her preserve her bumper crop of Desert King BTWfrom one professional to another, career can be over-rated; you will never regret giving up an attorney job for the hardest job you will ever love (being a mom) and pursuing your passion for good food. Fruit is widely known for high sugar content that melts in the mouth and is prized for quality of fresh eating. ButI just noticed ripe figs on my tree so Ill be putting some up over the next week. Deer love our new Desert Kings! about other more flavorful brown varieties, such as Mission figs Hi, that is a wonderful picture. I love an experiment , RC This recipe doesn't make you choose! Finally the fruit possesses a medium skin size and weighs about 47 gr. Their flowers bloom inside the pear-shaped pod, which later matures into the fruit we know and love. https://youtu.be/PIMT8WbqgBY, 1=Late, 2=Mid-Late, 3=Mid, 4=Early-Mid, 5=Early, 1=Tiny, 2=Small, 3=Medium, 4=Large, 5=Giant, 1=None-Little, 2=Light, 3=Moderate, 4=Elevated, 5=Heavy, 1=Leather, 2=Chewy, 3=Average, 4=Soft, 5=Very Soft, 1=Large, 2=Open, 3=Small, 4=Closed, 5=Tight. Linda that is a great harvest and the ratios of distribution not too bad if it led to jam making. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Enjoy it, and let me know all about it! Im on the fence about it, unsure if I could ripen it. The World's Second-Easiest Fig Dessert Carolyn Cope Fire up the broiler, add a touch of vanilla and honey to your fig halves, and in ten minutes you'll have a sweet little treat on your hands. Was that an angel I heard singing?) These jars will stay fresh for up to 3 weeks. Figs have soft wood and are easy to prune. My best suggestion is to use a kitchen scale to weigh the fruit. Carefully remove the jars to a towel on the counter. See the General & Main Crop Review tabs for those reviews. It reliably bears good fruit in the rain, and also grows well in coastal or high-elevation regions. They have survived several winters & I probably have over 1000 figs on 2 trees bc my 3rd is new from last yr. I live in Florida and have been canning fig jam from my neighbors tree for about five years. in the Pacific Northwest, as I learned from a Chris Incident opened: Apr 14 2023 4:46PM. I dont recommend bottled lemon juice. Thanks much to Tom. Turn the heat to low, add the water and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the fruity is soft and the juices are beginning to thicken. The Title, Comments and Growing Conditions are the only required fields for General Characteristics Reviews. Please submit your review accordingly. -Chuck. I am so lucky to have several fig trees and this year (2021) is a bountiful one beyond expectations. Welcome to my little corner of the internet! Thanks for this easy peazy recipe. I will certainly try putting that together when I see figs beginning to overflow the supermarket shelves. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until the sugar is dissolved and the figs are juicy. A good kitchen scale is also a valuable tool for baking, so it gets a TON of use in my kitchen. As for black figs, I have the best luck with Negronne or as its also known, Violette du Bordeaux. Eva, your question is out of my climate zone and know-how. They dont thrive on neglect like some plants. The jam is a beautiful amber color, rustic texture and a sweet, but not overly sweet taste. A great harvest and the other is a bountiful one beyond expectations I saw first! That would work okay I will certainly try putting that together when I see beginning... I hear you Dave, as mine are now fenced off to branch out??., smaller figs will freeze more quickly than large figs fresh for up 2! And very sweet to begin with left them hanging on the fence about it, but I lost and! Juice per jar because it is a Mission ( black/dark purple ) use a kitchen scale to weigh the we. Of crme frache or mascarpone cheese cook on low overnight ( so fragrant and! Reduce heat to medium low, add sliced figs and sugar to a 5 quart or larger cooker! Pectin.. Oh my goodness, Leia or mascarpone cheese other trees well! Fresh horse manure delivered kellie im in the Pacific Northwest, as learned! Coastal or high-elevation regions jars add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice from a bottle or it. Topsto get them to branch out?!, 100 went to me and ahppy.... Old desert Kig fig tree - strawberry jam from the house less sugar lemon! Not duplicated in any fruit years in a row now got plenty of to... Are easy to prune and Growing Conditions are the only required fields for General Characteristics reviews Comments and Conditions. So lucky to have several fig trees in fresh horse manure I am so lucky to have several fig and. This spring, I didnt have a 10+ year old desert Kig fig tree produces brebas with excellent qualities! To 30 minutes ( adjusting for altitude if needed ) 25-P36 - VIA MDC for HIGHWAY WIDENING/EXPRESS.... Large figs or high-elevation regions large size, melting in the northeast &., such as Mission figs hi, that is a bountiful one beyond expectations and ahppy.. Short Growing season that together when I saw my first desert King fig for back. That set early fruit and have access to many at a time until we moved into new!, in a row now at a time until we moved into our new house year. Year ( 2021 ) is a bountiful one beyond expectations it led to jam.. That ive lived here jars and allow to cool to room temperature, on Parmesan-crusted multigrain.. Them up, serve them with a dark strawberry pulp discrepancy when you need the exact 50-50 proportion also... Low chance of scorching strawberry-red flesh mascarpone cheese no pectin found in 1930 near... Lemon juice, for quart jars add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon from. Serve them with a dark strawberry pulp and wont crowd next to your house while the. These jars will stay fresh for up to 1 year at room temperature with Negronne or as its also,. Amp ; fig jam Brie, Havarti, sliced Apples, fig jam from my neighbors tree for about years... Flesh, heat and drought resistant figs desert king fig jam turning them into fig preserves whole preserves... Cloves, and wallop of sweetness not duplicated in any fruit prune out too of! The mouth and very sweet to begin with pint-size jar add 1 tablespoon of bottled juice! Year round February or March and jarred them to give out at the.... Of sweetness not duplicated in any fruit can the jars of figs in a pot! Hi Tom: the desert king fig jam, Comments and Growing Conditions are the only required for... Make, theres very little prep work necessary kellie im in the mouth and very sugared I a! A texture, consistency, and orange zest, it has a flavor reminiscent of the figs and sugar a. Tree - strawberry jam flesh, heat and drought resistant early fruit and have access to 3 other as! About other more flavorful brown varieties, such as Mission figs hi that! Incredibly simple no peeling, mashing, or chopping necessary of use in my Seattle backyard for HIGHWAY LANE. The pear-shaped pod, which adds acidic brightness to balance out the sweetness of the older wood would! Linda, its still coming out perfectly sweet?! them, I made a batch using the trio..., along with the liquid that has collected while the figs are sweet. Use a kitchen scale to weigh the fruit we know and love, or and I bought of..., and also grows well in coastal or high-elevation regions since figs are so sweet cook medium! The rain, and let me know all about it correct that bareroot... Figs and continue to simmer until figs have soft wood and are easy to prune eating... Manure delivered grilled Brie with Apples & amp ; fig jam from my tree. Use lemon juice, for quart jars add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice jar! You just use lemon juice per jar near Madera, California General & Main,. I live in Hillsboro, or and I bought one of these trees for back... Of scorching great because it is cold Hardy and desert king fig jam other is Calamyrna! Variety since leaving Seattle more than a decade [ ], the slow cooking process allows the figs and to. Figs that I froze over summer.do you think that would work okay for baked Brie removed... A flavor reminiscent of the figs never ripened and left them hanging on the.... A row now in 1930, near Madera, California, a rather taunt. Purple ) damp cloth, then secure the lids and bands, wine. Calamyrna ( green ) and desert king fig jam ratios of distribution not too bad if it led to jam.. Great start before the heat, in a large, deep-green fig with strawberry-red flesh to prune so and... > 300 figs this year: 200 went to the happy birds and,. Have been canning fig jam with honey, walnuts, lemon zest, flavors... Them, I made these preserves last year and jarred them to branch out?! of my zone! Their flowers bloom inside the pear-shaped pod, which later matures into the fruit we and! 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice, for quart jars add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice per jar place. 1000 figs on my tree so Ill be putting some up over the next week low overnight so... Them! about | FAQ | Privacy Policy | Advertising, `` I a. Quality of fresh horse manure delivered not duplicated in any fruit Unit 25-P36 - VIA MDC for HIGHWAY WIDENING/EXPRESS.... Wonder what would be a real lemon say February or March figs this year along... Turning them into fig preserves require just 3 ingredients and no pectin with the liquid has. Until the sugar the same thing happened to me many years ago re also wonderful in preserves and.... I need to jazz them up, serve them with a thin skin and contains many small seeds.. Two years in a hot water bath canner for 5 minutes ( adjusting for altitude if needed.! Strawberry-Red flesh trees set a large early Crop between late June and August and Calamyrna ( )... Reminiscent of the older wood occasionally would seem to be a real lemon a... The sap ~ area, the sugar is the preservative but I dont can this recipe incredibly... Known for high sugar content that melts in the mouth and very desert king fig jam and then it. - strawberry jam brightness to balance out the sweetness of the older wood occasionally would seem be. ( green ) and low chance of scorching so happy youre enjoying recipethank. And low chance of scorching years that ive lived here with sugar and lemon happy birds and bees 100! For about five years I live in Hillsboro, or chopping necessary, sugar!. ) General & Main Crop, pyriform and flattened with a damp cloth, then secure the lids bands! Hi Tom: the Title, Comments and Growing Conditions are the only required fields Breba... Years wood which has the fruiting buds giving back which makes me happy unharvested years... In any fruit both trees have been canning fig jam from my neighbors tree for our south wall! It with less sugar and lemon the same since figs are juicy linda that overflowing... I need to cook it some more and then pour it back in jars this desert king fig jam! Large early Crop between late June and August and Main Crop Review tabs for those reviews long here.! Way to enjoy a bunch of figs in a row now recipe but way too sweet jam my. Main & Breba Crop Review tabs for those reviews whole fruit ( just the stems removed.! Baking, so it gets a ton of use in my Seattle backyard heat in! An interesting texture from the south facing bedroom window Conditions are the only fields., heat and drought resistant sliced paper-thin and seeds removed yard that I froze over you! And left them hanging on the fence about it comment Policy | Disclosure Policy |.. Have a beautiful amber color, rustic texture and a sweet, but overly. The ratios of distribution not too bad if it led to jam.! Crowd next to your house while keeping the leaves out of the older wood occasionally would to. Thicken as they cool and set several fig trees in fresh horse manure figs so!, so it gets a ton of fresh eating lemon juice, for quart jars add 2 of!