For those of you who are not from the South, it is time to introduce you to the term Southern Fried.
Here in the south, it is more than just a way to cook chicken; it is a way of life. It is a powerful adjective down here. It means either being dredged in egg, flour and bread crumbs and then fried in oil, or it means someone or something that embodies all that is southern or originates from the southern states. “She is a true southern-fried gal straight from the Mississippi delta.”
While I am the daughter of Northern transplants, I consider myself Southern, having spent a good portion of my youth in the panhandle of Florida. My Grandfather used to say, “Once you get that sand in your shoes you will never want to go back up North”. I suppose in the case of my family that is true.
When I was in elementary school my Mother became friends with a true Southern Fried gal named Jimmi-Joyce. Most people just called her Joyce, Born and raised in Alabama, Joyce was as Southern as you can get.
My Mom was a transplant, born in Massachusetts, Her parents moved to Florida with her extended (Italian) family. So, while she was raised in the south, she was not familiar with most of the Southern fried ways and wisdom.
Joyce was a ball of fire! Tall, thin, red hair and a sense of humor that was infectious. Both being ladies who shared a love of family, food, and the outdoors, Joyce and my Mother became fast friends, which was a plus for me because Joyce had kids about my age, which meant I had instant buddies! Mother soaked up Joyce’s hints and tips and in no time she was gardening and canning like she had done it all her life.
Summer in the panhandle means you-pick farms, full of Blueberries, sweet corn, tomatoes, watermelon, and every kind of amazing pea and bean the South has to offer! There was never a shortage of veggies to be shucked, shelled, snapped, peeled… and I was always elbow deep into some bushel of plant life. I learned how to blanch and freeze veggies so they would retain their nutrients, and still taste like summer when you pulled them out in the fall! I learned how to make fried corn, shellie beans and of course, preserves!
Both Mom and her amazing friend have passed, but every summer when the abundance of veggies and fruit began to roll in, I am instantly transported to those long summer days, the smell of sticky sweet preserves bubbling on the stove, and I am driven to my own stove to whip up at least one batch of home canned preserves, as a tribute to both these beautiful, strong, eccentric and loving ladies.
This year, the figs on the tree that my Mom planted are on overdrive! There is no way possible to eat them all fresh. My brain instantly locked onto the abundance of juicy ripe figs and viola! There I was at 8 PM stirring a bubbling pot of sugary spiced fig preserves! By the next night my husband and teens had made short work of that first jar! Trust me, you will love everything about these preserves, from the ease of putting them together, to the small batch that can be made and refrigerated for immediate consumption!
Summertime Fig preserves
Ingredients
- 5 lbs fresh figs
- 5 lbs granulated sugar
- 3 Tbs lemon juice
- 2 slices of peeled fresh ginger (optional) approx 1/4 inch thick
- 1 stick cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
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Wash the figs, remove stems and cut figs in half. Place the figs into a large pot or dutch oven and pour sugar over fruit. Cover and allow them to sit at room temperature 3 to 5 hours.
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Gently stir in lemon juice, peeled sliced ginger, cinnamon stick. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring almost constantly until sugar has dissolved. Increase temperature to high. When mixture reaches a rolling boil, reduce the heat again to medium low.(the mixture will foam, do not worry it will dissipate as it cooks.)
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Continue to boil gently over medium low approximately 40-45 minutes. Stirring frequently. Take care not to smash/break up the figs too much so that you will have a chunkier finished product.
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The mixture will thicken as it cooks. The preserves are done when the foam that has formed on the surface dissipates and the mixture coats the back of the spoon. (If you have a candy thermometer, you are looking for a temp of 220 degrees.)
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Remove from heat and carefully remove ginger pieces and cinnamon stick before spooning preserves into clean jars. Cover and cool jars completely before storing jars in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. You can also water bath can the preserves if you want to be able to store them for a lengthy period of time.
