Yesterday morning I was rudely awoken by the sound of crows outside my bedroom window, great start to my Labor Day lie in. The crows were chomping down on the nice juicy figs hanging off the tree in my back yard. I decided that was it, if I wasn’t going to get my lie in, they weren’t going to get my figs and so begun and unplanned day of Fig chutney and preserve making. I toyed with the idea of making a nice fig and goat cheese tart, figs wrapped in prosciutto and stuffed with Manchego cheese or even a lovely chocolate and fig pie, but I resisted. All of the above would haunt me in the refrigerator for the next week saying ‘eat me, eat me’ when I’m trying not to. With the chutneys and preserves I would have the satisfaction of using up all my lovely ripe figs but not consuming them all that day. I had a couple of dusty boxes of jam jars out in garage so all I needed were the lids and rims. After trying a few grocery stores I found them for a couple of dollars.

First up was the chutney, I used the slightly firmer figs and modified a number of recipes I found, to one that was to my liking and to the spices in my cupboard. I’ll have to wait a few weeks to really see how it tasted, next was the preserve, all the recipes I found had different ratios of fruit to sugar, I prefer preserves slightly tarter but you always need to have enough sugar to properly preserve the fruit for months to come. Almost all the recipes also called for thinly sliced lemon, so in it went along with some sugar and a small piece of cinnamon stick. The recipes are below so give them a try! Looking forward to my next batch of canning and preserving, my pantry should be filled in no time for those last minute ‘very thoughtful’ holiday gifts. To find out more figgy facts here

Fig Chutney
1 cup red wine vinegar
11/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 pound light brown sugar
1 onion, chopped
11/2 inch grated fresh ginger
½ tsp fennel seeds
1/4 lemon, zested
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 star anise
1 canned chipotle in adobo (remove before canning)
½ tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp whole coriander seeds
1 1/4 pounds firm, slightly under ripe fresh figs, rinsed, stems removed and halved

In a large saucepan combine the vinegar, sugar, onion, ginger, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, salt, chipotle and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until mixture is thickened and reduced by 2/3, forming a thick syrup. Add the figs and cook gently until the figs are very soft and beginning to fall apart and most of the liquid they’ve given off has evaporated, about 30 minutes.
Transfer the chutney into air tight containers and store in fridge or freezer for about 3 weeks, or you can store it in sterilized hot glass jars and then place in canner for 10 minutes.
Fig Preserve
4 Cups whole figs
2 Cups sugar
2 Lemons, thinly sliced with seeds removed
1 Cup water
1 pinch salt
½ cinnamon stick
Wash figs in water. Rinse well and drain.
In a large, heavy pot, add all the above ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce and simmer. Simmer for 40 minutes or until very thick and jam like. I like to test a spoon full of jam on a cold saucer and place it on the freezer. If after a couple of minutes the jam has set I know it is almost ready if it is still runny it needs further cooking. Ladle hot preserves into hot jars, seal with hot lids and bands, and process in boiling water bath or canner for 10 minutes.

Figs have the highest overall mineral content of all common fruits. A 40 gram (1/4 cup) serving provides 244 mg of potassium (7% of the DV), 53 mg of calcium (6% of the DV) and 1.2 mg of iron (6% of the DV).Of the approximately five grams of fiber per serving of California figs, four grams are insoluble and one gram is water-soluble.

Finally it was time for me to bake the wedding cake or cakes as it may be and well I do have to admit I did get some help from my friend Niall who did most of the baking of the 100 raspberry and white chocolate cupcakes or buns as they are simply referred to in Ireland.
But to be honest the baking of the cakes could be done the day before yet their were months of planning before the baking could begin.
Before setting off for Ireland there were over 100 sugar gum paste flowers that needed to be made and painted. I made the flowers using Wilton and painted each flower with different shades of their lustre dust.
Then there was the problem of the cake stand, I couldn’t find one to fit 100 cupcakes and it would be almost impossible for me to fit it in my luggage so I called my Dad. After throwing a couple of ideas around including mirror and glass which was really expensive my Dad had the idea of making the stand out of a light weight but sturdy foam like substance that is used to make signs. He knew just the man for the job and my four tiers of the cake stand were expertly lazer custom cut for us.
Next there was the pillars, how would I seperate each tier, the problem was solved with some inexpensive mini goldfish bowls from Michael’s craft shop. I originally wanted to fill them real fish but unfortunately time and logistics would not allow it! Instead we filled the bowls with fresh roses.
The day before the wedding while Niall was baking cakes I was at home making pounds of light, fluffy buttercream, I then hopped in the car and raced into town to start icing the cakes in the canteen of my sisters office. Thanks to Chef Denise and everyone at 14 and 15 Stephen’s Green for allowing me to take over the kitchen in the afternoon. In the middle of the icing marathon it was back up the street to Bentley’s Hotel the location of the wedding reception to meet with a photographer who was taking a quick photo for a piece about www.inyourkitchen.com in Irish newspaper The Evening Herald . Then it was back to the icing followed by another quick sprint down the street to meet my future brother in law and his family at the wedding rehersal at Trinity College.
On the big day we were up early for hair, make up and cake assembly and of course the actual wedding ceremony which I may of been a little late to.
In between the hair and make up appointments on Grafton Street I was assembling the cake, to be honest I didn’t quite get time to finish before the ceremony at 11.30 am but thanks to some of my sister’s friends and co workers they had the cake assembled beautifully by the time we arrived at the hotel.
It may not of been the most traditional of wedding cakes but it was a fun, original and cost effective wedding cake and of course it tasted great. If your looking for some original wedding cake ideas the Wilton website has some great ideas.

So if you read the previous entry you will know it was my 28th birthday last week. I was a very lucky lady and received some really fun food related gifts.
Chimena, Jeff and Chloe got me a really unusual gift, a Pink Lemonade Tree . It is a dwarf citrus tree which produces lemons with a pink hew. I’m really excited to taste the fruit from this unusual tree.

Joy and Chimena also brought me an ‘Irish Beauty’ a Baileys flavored mini chocolate cake from Just Fabulous Pastries. It was really light and moist with a really rich chocolate flavor and like me it was petite, yet big enough to share.
My sister Lynda back in Ireland without fail always gives me a cookbook with some Percy Pigs (my favorite candy or sweets as we call them at home). I always love her selections, this year it was the Ottolenghi Cookbook from a well known chain of cafes of the same name in London. I had not heard of it before but after browsing through the pages I cannot wait to make some of their recipes and desserts when I am in London next month.

Lara and Liz can up with the goods in the form of X Rated Fusion Liqueur a French Vodka based pink liqueur with a passion fruit flavor. I first tried it icy cold on an In Your Kitchen shoot at Nic’s Beverly Hills (yes my job is very hard, tasting vodka is a part of it), look out for the video coming soon. I’ve tried it since mixed with orange juice and Sky 90 vodka and straight up and it tastes so good either way….good job Lara and Liz!

Lisa and Paul sent me some wine, I had not tried either bottles and I am eager to try them this weekend. The white was a Minter Californian Viognier and the red a Darioush Cab from Napa.

Yeah with fun and interesting gifts like these it makes turning a year older a little easier.
Oh and Amy and Adam thank you for the food related birthday cards both of a similar theme a chicken and a cock!!

So finally the day has come, www.inyourkitchen.com is live! An idea over dinner with a friend just over a year ago has materialized and inyourkitchen.com is launched.

There are over 100 videos of top chefs, wine makers and food purveyors filmed on location in their kitchens, vineyards, stores and warehouses.
So far we have filmed in San Diego and Napa Valley but we are already planning our next locations. If you have any ideas for our next shoot or know a really great chef or food fanatic that should be featured on the site just let me know. Don’t forget that you can become a member and share your own food videos with other members.

This month we have partnered with Parade magazine to bring you Parade In Your Kitchen. You will find all the recipes featured in Parade magazine’s ‘What America Eats’ issue on the Parade In Your Kitchen pages and videos to accompany each recipe. This month features some great guilt free desserts. I’ve tried them all, they tasted great and I have to say there were no feelings of guilt after!

We hope that www.inyourkitchen.com will be a fun, interactive and entertaining way to cook,

Enjoy!

Diane

Hi and welcome to the In Your Kitchen website!

“Eating well and having the opportunity to enjoy preparing the food we eat is something which we hope to bring to a wide audience with www.inyourkitchen.com.”

Come share our passion for food and eating through an hd video experience.

Diane Stopford