A rare find for Northeast Pennsylvania, this beautiful Fig Jam is a treasured treat.

I’m strolling through my local farmer’s market, I stop at my favorite stand for fresh apple cider. While making my purchase and chatting with the farmer, I spied something from the corner of my eye. Immediately I’m in disbelief but then I came to my senses and realized that I wasn’t crazy. I am indeed seeing a rare fruit for sale at the very same stand. I think and think until my thinker is sore. I timidly ask the farmer while he gets my change, “how much are the figs?”. The farmer seems very pleased by my inquiry, he tells me the price and then proceeds to show me a picture of the very fig plant that these little gems grew from. “Sold! May I have some figs?”.  I picked the nicest ones he had to offer, he bagged them up and I was on my merry way; delighted with my treasured find. I took them home and decide to make one of my favorite things, of course it’s jam! 

Now, I know, you can buy fig jam in the grocery store. But it’s definitely more satisfying to make it yourself. Not to mention you have more opportunities to flavor your jam and make sure that it’s to your liking.  Whether it be for a meticulously crafted charcuterie board or a simple grilled prosciutto and cheese, you want it to be perfect.

Fig Jam *Makes 1 half pint jar

1 cup chopped fresh figs skins and all

½ cup granulated sugar

1 lemon juiced

¼ tsp kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a small pot and mix until the sugar is starting to dissolve.

Set the pot on medium heat and continue to mix. Once the skins begin to soften and the jam starts to bubble, mash with a potato masher. Continue to cook until it begins to thicken.

When thickened, blend the jam with an immersion blender until it has reached a smooth consistency and only the seeds remain.

Cook until the jam can easily coat a spoon, store in a glass jar in the fridge for 3 months.

*Notes: No need to do the frozen spoon test for this jam. It becomes noticeably thick and can easily coat your mixing spoon. You don’t need to blend the jam at the end, if you like a chunkier fig jam.