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Blackberry Fig Preserves

This morning, I rushed to the fig tree to see if there were any left for me.  While picking yesterday morning, my crazy neighbor from the back street called my cell phone and told me how good my figs are.  Say what?  Between him and the birds, there might not be enough to make my next experiment.

As I approach, grocery bag on wrist, and reach for the first ripe jewel, I realize the birds have breached our contract.  The evidence is there–half eaten figs, gaped open, looking at me.  How dare they?

I make my way around the south side of tree and hear their wings fluttering as the feathered thieves fly from my half of the tree back up to their territory.  They mock me as I reach for the last few plump, ripe fruits, wingless.  They laugh because they know they can fly down to where my figs are any time, but I will never be able to fly up to where their figs are.

With that, I spoke my Fig Tree Edict.  Next year, I will post a sign:  NO BIRDS ALLOWED.  And I will hang it on my fig-picking ladder.  And I double dog dare those beaky rascals to break my new law.

Open figfresh.clean.figsBlackberry FigFig ConfitureDecided to try Blackberry Fusion Jello and see if it’s as good as the strawberry or raspberry fig preserves.  I’ll let you know.

The last photo is my new creation.  LilSis told me this morning that the reason she never liked to eat fig preserves when we were growing up is not because she didn’t like the taste.  It was because she didn’t like having a “lump” on her toast.  She read about cutting the figs in half and thought that might help.  The I told her that I mash them for the mock berry jams that I make, and it gave her hope that she might enjoy fig preserves after all.

And now, I have a real surprise for her.  I call it Fig Confiture.  The above 2 jars are for her.  (Confiture is the French word my mother-in-law calls the figs she cooks in sugar and serves right away with bread.)

Little did I know when I made up the recipe and named it that, there really is such a thing and it sells for a nice price.

Here’s how I made it.  I mashed 2 cups of figs and put them in my heavy pot.  Added one cup of sugar, almost a whole packet of Sure-Jell, 2 thick lemon slices, cut in half.  I brought the mixture to a quick boil and boiled, stirring about five minutes.  I quickly spooned hot mixture  into the small hot jars and then boiled the jars for 10 minutes.

There was one large spoon of the confiture left in the pot.  I let Termite do the tasting honors.  One bite and he held his mouth open like a baby bird for more.  Blackberry fig preserves or fig confiture, no matter what you call it, the flavor is UNBELIEVABLE, like nothing I’ve ever tasted.  

Happy Early Birthday, LilSis!

Comments on this post will be entered into a random drawing for a bag of Community Private Reserve Coffee of your choice!

Now I’ve made four kinds of fig preserves this season.  I think I’m about figged out!

BW

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74 Comments

  1. Time for you to get creative and buy a apple picker or a light bulb installer and modify it to pick the high figs. How about a kids rake and a gallon milk jug?
    Termite could do this I am sure. Heck a #8 circle hook on end of a cane pole.

    I am gonna buy some fig newtons just for the fun of it.

    Looks real good.

    1. Somehow I missed this comment, Blu! I usually climb a ladder and get the figs I can reach, but I made an agreement with the birds the could have the top of the tree but they infringed! Or trespassed!

      1. My dear Wendy, in the morning when day light comes, I will pick the figs from my back yard. Around noon a friend is coming from out of state so I will wait to get the ladder until she gets here with her new hubby to help me. Don’t want any back yard accidents!

        At first I thought you had to use pressure cooker and do old fashion canning and I found my Mom’s canning pot last night.

        But it seems like you might have a simpler recipe and maybe I can make a preserve and just give it away rather than canning it for winter like Mom did for most her 76 years on earth.

        Praying for you and your family and everyone along coastal Louisiana tonight. For renewed health and miracles and prayers of Thanksgiving for my restored health.

        I am just so happy to still be alive in July! Take care and call me when you have a moment perhaps when the fish are not biting!

          1. Yep, Debbie…the “Mock Peach” are the PITS! Ok, I made a funny, but I’m REALLY serious.

              1. I made the mock peach and hubby loved it. said he thought a bit sweet. but yummy

  2. You used my favorite jello flavor!! I made a triple batch of it this am so I could have something to cool my throat after having the tooth yanked this evening. Doesn’t fill one up at all though.

    I love the blackberry fusion flavor. I’ll have to tell mom about your recipes. Bet she will want to try them.

  3. The pickins have been slim this year, but I did manage 1 colander 3/4 full yesterday. I’ve got to go grocery shopping in the a.m., so I’ll pick up some makin’s for this recipe.
    I’ve tried putting rubber snakes in my tree and hanging aluminum pie tins to scare the birds away. I think they just look at the tins, use them as a mirror and primp. As far as the snakes…they just scared the ca-ca out of me! I bought some bird netting on clearance to use next year!

      1. I bought it at Home Depot. I think it must have been 5 yr. old stock (faded & dusty) someone found and put it on clearance. The “newer cleaner” netting wasn’t as cheap. I MAY just have an extra roll with your name on it.

  4. Would love to try making the blackberry fusion recipe, but totally ignorant as to when to add the Jello and how much. A little help, please? :}

  5. Next year you might add No Birds or MrsCoach to your sign because I may have to steal some figs, I’ve never had them or saw one that wasn’t dried already but you just never know! LOL

  6. Hey,

    Just stopped by to say hello and catch-up on your entries. As always, you have such a flair in taking the day-to-day activities of life and showing us how fun and exciting they can be!

    I’ll be back soon – lots of changes for us at the moment, so I’m a wee bit behind in keeping up (does that even make sense?!).

    Love you!!! 🙂

  7. 1. “beaky rascals”… HILARIOUS!

    2. Remember that year David and I decided to see if squirrels could read, and so we taped a sign to the bird feeder that said “No squirrels allowed!” (with bad drawings of squirrels and creative spelling, I’m sure!)? I think that sign’s still in my scrapbook somewhere! I know it was done in red marker.

    3. Please, may I have a jar of that jelly? It sounds so good! It may become my new favorite!

    4. If you need to get your camera fixed, maybe we could go Saturday on our way to N.O.? Call me and we’ll talk about it.

    5. I didn’t freeze you a piece of cake… it tastes like refrigerator. *frown* But I’m going to bake another one and bring it down soon!

    1. 1. borrowed from “cheeky bulls”
      2. where were we living?
      3. It’s kinda sticky but spreads better if you warm it a bit
      4. need to call Nikon first
      5. okay, bake Dan and me a co-cake okay?

      1. 1. Still hilarious!
        2. We lived in DULAC. The bird feeder was outside the back glass door hanging from a tree branch. Crazy the things one can remember…
        3. I forgot to get a jar!

  8. I just saw a recipe in one of my cooking books for Kool-Aid preserves. Ever heard of them??

    1. Interesting, no, but I think it’s the same concept as Jello. I would guess that it includes Sure-Jell and more sugar than our recipe calls for! Is there a fruit involved?

      1. Yes, it used apples. I can’t remember which book I was reading when I saw it though. I know as I read it I thought of your figs and jello recipe. Seemed almost the same amount of ingredients was used.

    1. Now, you are the ONE person in my life who is still around who was around when I was born! It means a TON to me that you remember! Thank you, BigSis!

  9. I planted a fig tree last year and a friend told me, “Your grandkids might eat figs off of that tree, but you never will.” Monday I went to cut grass; well lo & behold there was a lone fig and it was ripe. The tree had several on it but the hot weather made them fall off. My wife and I halved the fig last night and it was awesome. One fig, but alas a fig nevertheless!!

    1. Are they that slow growing? Mine newer one is in a pot and it was loaded with figs and I forgot about it for a couple days in the drought and it burned up!

      1. I hope you didn’t throw that burnt offering away. I too had one I thought was burned up, but I kept on watering it . It has been resurrected!

  10. Thanks for the wonderful wishes, everyone! The rest of you have about 3 hours left to tell me Happy Birthday! And then you won’t get a chance again until next year!!! Besides, doesn’t your comment count toward a drawing on this post? I’ll do anything for that 15 seconds of fame! LOL!

  11. I hope to pick blueberries this week.

    PS I am enough of a gentleman not to wish old ladies happy birthday.
    But worried I missed someone’s a bit closer to home.

    1. Oh, Blu, that’s it. You did it with the “old ladies” thing. That’s even worse than wishing me happy birthday! You continue to chalk up X’s by your name. Whatever will I do with you?

  12. Blu, if you do pick some of those blueberries, I discovered that blueberries are fantastic with lemon pie.

  13. Blueberries like figs are fantastic with everything. I like them fresh best though. Them little wild ones are great in pancakes too.

    I need a blog. Maybe by Friday….

    1. No, Blu, you don’t have enough Decoder rings manufactured yet to have your own blog. Just keep commenting here. You know you are more than welcome. You add so much wit, charm, and confusion!!!

  14. Just had a frugally frugal bayou woman moment. While cooking up the green beans, yukon gold tators, parsley, rosemary, and tasso (just cause it was sitting in freezer door lonely), I steamed a couple of weenies on top.

    Geaux Cubs. Great day to win 2 from St. Louis.

    1. They do taste good. However, I don’t think I cooked them long enough because when they come out of the frig. they are sticky. When warmed in the micro. they spread just fine.

  15. Just found your Blog. while looking for fig preserve recipes. Been reading every post from the beginning.
    I’ll be making fig preserves all next week and I am looking forward to the Blackberry fusion it sounds so yummy.

  16. Have never made jams with jello so have been intrigued by the blackberry-fusion fig combo. Maybe I’m not computer-smart enough but have spent way-too-much-time searching your blog for the actual recipe for this. Any chance you can tell me exactly where to find it??? Here in Oregon, my figs have been slowly showing-up (a few a day). Went out-of-town this past week & I now actually have enough to make a few recipes (definitely making your fig & lemon preserves tomorrow). Please point me to (or repost???) the recipe for the blackberry-fusion fig jam (before the rains & cold ruin the fruit). Thanks so very much for sharing!

    1. Dottie, Here is the recipe and all you have to do is substitute the Blackberry Fusion Jell-O for the raspbery or strawberry and follow the step by step photo instructions!!!! Sorry about that!

  17. Hi BW,
    Here is a tried and true tip for keeping the birds out of your fig tree. Put several fake rubber snakes in different places in the tree. Birds think they are real and stay away…..just remember where you put the fake snakes!

    Melinda Donovan

  18. Hi, I came across your site looking for different flavors for fig preserves. After going to 5 stores I finally found BlackBerry Fusion. I came home and that was my first of 4 flavors to make, which was great. I also tried Raspberry, Black Cherry, and Strawberry, which all were GREAT! I normally just preserve regular figs but I figured I would try something different this year. I can not wait to make some home made fig tarts with all these new flavors 🙂 Thanks

    1. Isn’t that just marvelous? Who would have thought Jell-0 and figs could combine so easily to make such delicious jams? I’m so glad you tried them all and found something new. My family loves the flavored fig preserves, and now that three of my five children are adults, I must continue the tradition because they ask me for preserves to take home with them–they miss it. There’s nothing like home made in my humble opinion! Yesterday, I combined fresh Alabama peaches and fresh figs for a new preserve twist. Talk about good, cher!!!!! Thanks for taking the time to come back and share your thoughts, Jon-Ross! BW

  19. I made your recipie for Fig Perserves Ala Strawberry Jell-o
    Your recipie didn’t say how long to store mt preserves.

    Please advise me.

    They turned out great although I didn’t want to use so much sugar and the recipie I got off line didn’t say anything about using sure jell.

    Please reply
    Mary Church

    1. Hi Mary. This is not a Sure Jell recipe, since it uses Jello. You can try less sugar, as others posting here have done, but I cannot vouch for what consistency results. How long to store “mt” preserves? What does mt mean? If you can them properly, they have a shelf life of several years. Is that what you’re asking?

  20. Hey I’m always looking for ways to re-use stuff.I took a trampoline net (the one you bounce on) and covered my fig tree’s with it.It has weights on it to hold it in place.It works perfect.The mockingbirds don’t care for it and I’m losing no figs.None.They seem to be afraid to fly into or around the dark trampoline net.I just went out and picked a big stainless bowl full of brown turkey sweet figs.About to make your mock strawberry preserves.Try the trampoline it works.Ronnie in Ga.

    1. Hi Ronnie. What a great idea! Although it seems to me that it would be rather heavy? My bird problem were grackles–noisy, pesky birds, and squirrels. My neighbor stands in his backyard like a sentry on duty, with his little gun and shoots at the squirrels in his oak trees. So of course, where do they retreat and know they are safe? My oak tree and my fig and pecan tree! I hope your mock strawberry turn out well. Everyone so far has had good results and have loved them. I managed to get enough figs to make 12 jars this year, and happy to have gotten that many figs away from the thieving birds and squirrels! Thanks for stopping by and leaving such a great comment! BW

    1. Just do a search on my site for the mock strawberry which uses figs, and then substitute the blackberry jello for the strawberry. I think I also emailed this to you! Good luck!

  21. When making the Blackberry Fusion, you said above that you used almost a whole pack of Sure-jel but you didn’t say when or how much blackberry jello to use. I tried the link I found in the comments for the recipe at wordpress but it says it’s no longer available. Could you help me out? Is it the same as the mock strawberry but with blackberry jello instead? I love your recipes. It’s the 1st place I go when I want to do something new. Thanks.

    1. Hi Julie and welcome. I emailed you, but now I’m sitting at computer. This is indeed a confusing post, done early on . . . so let me clarify. I never came back and posted what I did, BUT I know that I made the Mock Blackberry JUST LIKE the mock strawberry, so if you have used that recipe, just follow it replacing the strawberry Jello with blackberry. The Sure Jel only came into play when I made a “confiture” for my Lil Sis. Sorry again for the confusion! And good luck preserving! BW

    1. Hi Glenda,
      Thanks so much for stopping by! We love them, too but my tree doesn’t have many figs this year, sadly.