Ah yes....SWEET SUCCESS!

The jars procured and canning pot purchased (thanks to my friend, Melissa's help), last night I set out to make my FIRST fig preserves. Having followed the recipe the night before, the figs had been quartered and chopped in the food processor. I stirred in only half the sugar that the recipe recommended and Stephen and I taste-tested. The ripe figs were so very sweet that we decided to add no more. The mixture "steeped" in the refrigerator the night before the preserve-making began.

As soon as I came in from work, I poured the fig mixture into a large cooking pot and it simmered on low temperature all evening. Finally as it thickened into what I thought was an appropriate consistency, I sterilized my half-pint jars, tops, and rings. Stephen schooled me in Sterilizing 101 as he had plenty of prior experience as a "canning assistant" to his mom during his youth.

I cut thin lemon slices into quarters and placed them into the jars. Just before pouring the beautiful amber preserves into the jars, I decided to be adventurous (sorry, those of you who know me well understand that I simply cannot follow a recipe verbatim) and stir in some raisins. I know that raisins and lemons are not local, but I simply could not help myself! Nine half-pint jars were filled to the brim along with one honey jar and a favorite tiny jam jar that I had saved. The tiny jar will make a trek to Blacksburg this weekend so that Rach and family can sample the preserves to see how the results of the "blog chronicle" really taste.

Breakfast proved to be a good testing ground and we thought that the preserves were divine on toasted whole grain bread with rosemary and walnuts. Our next experiment will be a wonderful savory bruschetta that our friend, Carol, made for us last fall. After grilling whole grain baguette slices brushed with olive oil, top slices with generous dollops of fig preserves. Then top liberally with crumbled blue cheese. Broil until preserves bubble and blue cheese melts. Last, open a crisp bottle of white wine (probably a pinot), cut some fresh fruit...and UMMMM!