Fig Crazy

It's the week of figs at my house.  My parents sent me at least 2 gallons they picked, and you can't let precious figs go to waste.

First, I copied a recipe I had in DC.  I cut a piece of bread on the diagonal, drizzled some olive oil, crumbled some Alabama made goat cheese and put this in the even until the cheese started to melt.  Then, I took my toast points out, added some halved figs, and drizzled it all with honey.  Good stuff.

Then, a friend reminded me of my Flour Bakery cookbook.  Sure enough, it has a recipe for homemade fig newtons.  I don't have any pictures to show, but they are yummy.  I've never had anything quite like them - the slightly citrusy jam, the butter shortbread, with the little kick of salt.  Here is what the creator has to say about them:
"Every now and then I test a recipe that makes me think, THIS is the reason to buy this book. The homemade fig newtons is one of these recipes. I made a small batch of fig jam with a little orange, vanilla, and lemon. Then I made some shortbread and rolled in out into a long rectangle. The jam went down the middle, I rolled the whole thing up in a log, and baked it for an hour. It was one of the best things I've eaten in a long time! The jam is sooooo delicious, especially now that fig season is in full swing. I was really happy with how they came out."  From here:  http://www.flourbakery.com/cookbook.php?post=1895

Tonight, I'm whipping up some strawberry fig preserves.  Yum, yum.  Although - the strawberry fig stuff always pops more when it boils so I usually winding up jumping and screaming a bit.  It's the bacon grease of the preserves world.  Maybe I'll have some pretty pictures of that to share.