 |
| figs from our tree |
I brought another batch to my friend today when we met for coffee. She loves them and has decided that those she cannot eat, she will dry. I've always avoided dried fruits and veggies because of my migraine problems. Anything that contains sulfates, sulfides, preservatives, nitrates, etc. can be a problem for me. However, I wonder if you just dried them without anything else... if they would be safe. My guess would be that you couldn't keep them any length of time.
And I'm guessing that most of you out there have heard of the new *food contamination* problem. They apparently have not be able to find the source, but know only that it is probably contaminated fruit or vegetables (possibly from out of the country). They advise all to wash your fruit and veggies very very well and/or cook them thoroughly. Well, I don't know about you, but the illness born from this bacteria seems serious enough to just plain avoid fresh fruits and veggies (for the most part) until they find the culprit... unless you're using home-grown (like my figs). Anyway, this is *my plan*. Tonight we had marinated pork chops, wild rice, corn-on-the cob, and fresh figs!
Oh... one more mention: We switched from Time-Warner Cable to AT&T a few months back (supposedly to save us money - that didn't actually happen) and by doing so, lost the Hallmark Channel (which I loved). So I've been biding my time till our contract is up and plan to change back unless the Hallmark Channel is re-instated. However, lately all I see are advertisements saying that AT&T is getting ready to drop CBS where what few programs I do like exist. If I wasn't brought up better, I would say, "WTF"? Now I'm down to KERA and the Cooking Channel or Food Network... and I'm beginning to wonder if what we pay per month is worth these few shows? It's odd to have hundreds of channels, but so few worth watching...
Hi Rian, how nice that you are enjoying these figs. I have always loved figs as well. When you mentioned migraines, I know that sodium nitrate is a huge trigger for migraine sufferers. As far as washing fruits and veggies go, a friend of mine in her 90's told me once that washing them in water isn't enough, that it is best to use white vinegar, as vinegar will kill any bacteria...whereas water doesn't.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of triggers for migraines. You get to know them and avoid most. Sometimes you just never know what triggered it... I've gotten to the point that I seem to have one every 2 weeks (more or less), but they aren't as bad as they used to be and now mostly affect my vision.
DeleteAnd I do wash all my fruits and veggies, but I have never used white vinegar. I could give that a try.
I have always loved fresh figs, but they are so high in calories that I don't usually indulge. I am with you about all those channels and nothing to watch. I have cable but only watch a very small portion of it, and if I really want to see something it's usually on the PBS channels. :-)
ReplyDeleteI enjoy fresh figs, but probably would never buy them at the store. We plant the fig trees for the critters outside and they have always taken advantage of them, but the production has gone way up and I can't see wasting them... so we eat what we can and give away the rest.
DeleteCan you make jam out of figs?
ReplyDeleteRE: the washing--Yes, rinsing in water does nothing. I don't know if Canada has the same fresh fruit/veggie warning as you do in your area, but it's a good idea to wash produce anyway, I think.
And as for TV: I have a slew of stations (pay for a digital cable value pack) and there's almost nothing on. If it weren't for PBS ( I get 2 stations from the US) and TVO (Ontario's public station), plus HGTV, I think I'd chuck it.
Yes, but I have never made preserves and to be honest, I'm not sure I would like it. I do like them fresh.
DeleteAnd I have always washed my fruits and veggies... using my dish soap and a veggie brush. Now DH probably doesn't do that with grapes and blueberries (probably just runs water through a colander for those). Might be a good idea to try that white vinegar wash that Linda suggested.
I wish we could just order up the shows we watch and pay for them. The cable companies seem to package things so that you have to get the maximum amount of junk to get the few shows your consider worth watching. Some day...when I am made supreme ruler of the world...
ReplyDeleteI know, Olga. If a mother ruled the world, they could just take those people by the ear and make them do what's right (or so it seems).
DeleteOh, I envy you your abundance of figs. I planted one (a brown turkey) about 5 years ago, It's done well and is about 5 1/2 feet tall now. This far north you have to wrap them every fall so I can't let it get too much bigger or it will be unwrappable. I have 15 figs on it this year (down from 18 last year). I have a fig newton recipe (one of my favorite cookies) all ready and waiting but they never ripen close enough together to get enough for the recipe. I just eat them one by one. I keep hoping for a bumper crop one of these years.
ReplyDeleteVic, our Turkey fig in the back is not as prolific (or as sweet) as the Celeste. And this year the Celeste has just had a bumper crop! We've already filled that bowl at least 6 times and that's not even picking the ones at the very top.
DeleteOh, I love figs, but they don't fruit as far north in Europe as here and are therefore very expensive to buy fresh. Fig jam is lovely and over here we would make fig chutney to have with cold meat.
ReplyDeleteI do hope the food contamination problem is sorted out soon. As for your lack of TV choice, you'd be amazed how easy it is to do without TV altogether, at least for a while. We don't have it when we're in France or Scotland and don't miss it one little bit. :-)