Poached Figs in Puff Pastry

Our garden is very abundant with figs this season. I gathered a full basket of large brown Turkey figs; they're re fairly wide and about 3 inches long. I love their flavor; they have a copper-colored skin, pinkish pulp and very few seeds. They are simply delicious and perfect for baking.

I poached them first in heavy syrup and wrapped them in puff pastry. It's a pretty easy dessert to make but sure to wow your guests.

Mulberry Jam Recipe

Mulberries look similar to blackberries, but they taste totally different. They are a combination of sweet, tart and peppery flavors.  They are native to India, Pakistan and Iran.  I believe the leaves are used to cultivate silkworms.

Lulu's dad, who is from India, loves mulberries.  I think they remind him of his childhood.  We always catch him red-handed when he sneaks out to the garden to pick mulberries. Mulberries are very difficult to pick without their leaking a little bit of juice. His white shirt and hands get stained with the juice of the berries and he comes back to the house with a grin on his face.

The darker they are, the better they taste. Daddy gathered a bunch of the fruit but the girls ate a lot of them and left me about a quart. No ripe mulberries were left on the tree. But what was left was more than enough to make some jam for breakfast. I made the jam so that we could enjoy mulberries during the fall and winter, but I have a feeling they won't make it that far!

Kumquat Preserves

As promised, here is the recipe for the kumquat preserves that I used with the homemade yogurt (without using a yogurt maker) that I made a few weeks back.

Surprisingly, whereas the best part is the skin while eaten fresh, the inside white membrane of the kumquat becomes the best part of the fruit once it's preserved. It has a creamy sweetness to it.  The kumquat-infused syrup is a perfect sweetener for any desserts or drinks.  Be creative!

Homemade Kumquat Marmalade

We've been very lucky this year. Our kumquat trees have produced a bumper crop. Yesterday, the girls brought me a huge bucket filled with beautiful kumquats. When I tasted them, I found them a bit sour, so I decided to make a nice batch of marmalade.

As a child, I ate a ton of marmalade on my vacations to Great Britain, but I have to say the best marmalade I've had is made by husband's friend Laura. She adds a dash of vanilla extract to her marmalade which I think really brightens and accents the citrus flavor. She also makes great homemade vinegar.