Figs Figs Figs

[Vuhginyuh]

Anyone have any good period fresh fig recipes they would like to share? I'm pulling five or six quarts a morning from each tree and I'm running out of modern ideas. I have preserves and bars, I'm looking for a cake of some kind.

And I tried a dried fig compote last fall...it was bad news...not going down that road again.

[BrandonEnglish]

Re: Figs Figs Figs

This is an old Sicilian recipe passed down from my Grandfather (From Sicily) it may not be totally period to the US at the time, but I believe it goes back a good ways to at least the late 1800's. Stuff them with marscapone cheese, wrap in Prosciutto and drizzle with a little olive oil. Quite good.

[RN_PAC]

Re: Figs Figs Figs

Garrison-

While I know you were shooting for fresh figs in particular, I also notices you were interested in a larger, pastery-like item (i.e., cake). A couple of Christmases ago, I got an old-timey urge to make a figgy pudding. The recipe I used called for dried figs, I believe. It was laborious to make, and the final product was real rich and heavy...like a giant fig newton. But boy, was it awsome served warm with vanilla ice-cream:dinner_pl. I'll see if I have the recipe saved...

All the best

Addendum: Must've got rid of it. I think this was the recipe I used (http://homecooking.about.com/od/dess...r/bldes108.htm) , altho' I think the 15 minutes' prep time is a bit...er, "optimistic".

Here is a similar recipe that calls for fresh figs: http://anotherfoodblog.com/?p=1580

[MrsArmstrong]

Re: Figs Figs Figs

These are for beverages, most recipes call for dried.

How to Mix Drinks or the Bon-Vivant's Companion 1862
Alkermes de Florence, It calls for 13 1/2 lbs of figs

http://books.google.com/books?id=QDUEAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA207&dq=%22directions+for%22+date:1850-1865&num=100&as_brr=1#PPA111,M1

OR

http://tinyurl.com/6cscpv

Mackenzie's Five Thousand Receipts 1831
English Fig Wine

http://tinyurl.com/5zvo5v

Susan Armstrong
19centfood group

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/19centfood/

[RN_PAC]

Re: Figs Figs Figs

Anyone have any good period fresh fig recipes they would like to share?

Sorry, didn't realize you were only interested in recepies quoted verbatim from a published source dating or pre-dating the period; I was under the assumption that a recipe for something like a cake with a known history of existance dating or pre-dating the period (and with an absence of any abjectly modern ingredients like "Splenda^tm" or "high fructose corn syrup") would do...:o

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Figs Figs Figs

Sorry, didn't realize you were only interested in recepies quoted verbatim from a published source dating or pre-dating the period...

That is the general nature of this board.

[MrsArmstrong]

Re: Figs Figs Figs

Domestic Economy, and Cookery, for Rich and Poor, by a Lady 1827
Page 146
Egyptian Fritters
Mix two pounds of flour with a sufficient quantity of rose-water, half a pound of melted butter, twelve well beaten eggs, half a pound of minced or beaten almonds, lime-juice, nutmeg, or the same quantity of clove powder, and two pounds of minced figs; mix all into nice batter; sweeten and drop the fritter into hot clarified butter. The Italians mix suet in their fritters, and they are very good.

This one sounds good :D
Susan Armstrong

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Figs Figs Figs

Domestic Economy, and Cookery, for Rich and Poor, by a Lady 1827
Page 146
Egyptian Fritters
Mix two pounds of flour with a sufficient quantity of rose-water, half a pound of melted butter, twelve well beaten eggs, half a pound of minced or beaten almonds, lime-juice, nutmeg, or the same quantity of clove powder, and two pounds of minced figs; mix all into nice batter; sweeten and drop the fritter into hot clarified butter. The Italians mix suet in their fritters, and they are very good.

This one sounds good :D
Susan Armstrong

Thanks, these do sound good. And believe it or not, mother keeps food-grade distilled rose water for German sugar cookies in her pantry. Hopefully I can put her to work on these.

[celtfiddler]

Re: Figs Figs Figs

Pickled Figs

Bring to a boil one quart of vinegar, five sticks of cinnamon, one tablespoon each of cloves, allspice, and celery seed. Drop in figs washed and dried.

Cook twenty minutes

Source: p. 135 The Williamsburg Art of Cookery or Accomplished Gentleman's Companion by Mrs Helen Bullock

Martha Washington's Booke of Cookery lists a syrup of hyssop recipe that calles for an ounce of figg, there's also a recipe for rosalis (a liqueur). If you'd like I can decipher it tomorrow when I'm a bit more alert.

The Colonial Williamsburg Tavern Cookbook has a recipe for fig ice cream (not sure of the actual dating of it)

City Tavern Baking and Dessert Cookbook lists recipes for fig apple crumble, quince currant and dried fig turnovers, fig stuffed apples and rice custard in puff pastry, almond anise tart which also call for the use of figs (again not sure of dating of the recipes)

I'll search the Pelton historical cookery series books I have tomorrow to see what I can find