Evening star., 1914-01-25

and its delicious fruit. So valu-
able Is the fruit that there have
been many efforts to plant the tree in
temperate climates. But although the fis
sometimes gives two crops OF fruit
year, usually the fruit appears one year
and ripens the next: hence a. cold winter
| Is the one element not wanted in is
growing.
50 well are figs now dried and pre-
served that dwellers in the north are able
| TO eat them in d most delectable state
even If they are not as plump and lu.-
cious as they are when they are picked
And the cook who has half dozen
recipes for preparing fgs at her COM
mand can give an almost tropical rich
ness to the menus she prepares.
The fig ts an unusual fruit. by the way.
IN the manner In which 1t grows. The
ordinary sense Of the word. as mos
fruits are. for the fig never has a Wis
fble flower. Tho first growth is a little
greer green bag % or ball, the fig as We see 1t
eventually blossom. die and 20 to seed
So much for the figs as they grow.
When they reach tho market they have
been dried. and are sold either pressed in
huge cakes or else packed In baskets,
pasteboard packages bags or glass jars
Stewed hgs prepared in the following
| way have much Of the richness or favor
| OF the fresh flg preserve: Mix half
cop1u OF Granulated sugar with two
cups OF cold water and stir over the hrs
until the sugar Is dissolved. Then ada the
rind or lemon. cut in thin strips, and
| a pound Of dried figs. Stew slowly for
about two and q half hours. Then re-
move from the IRE, add the Juice Of q
lemon and winegiassful and q half Of
port. Chill and serve cold.
stuned dgs are delioacy that can be
eaten at dessert or else m Q betWoen-
| meal sweetneat. with afternoon tea or
| with evening refreshments.
The resourceful cook will devise many
Interesting combinations with whioh to
stuff fgs. 10 begin with. dxs should
be softened Sometimes those bought in
glass Jars are soft and plump enough
| as they arc. Otherwise they can S
steamed for . few moments or else aoaf.
ca In cold water for fifteen minutes and
Inen dr1ed. They should then be slit
open at the top and the dlinE should be
inserted through this openinS
Chopped pecans mixed with q lits3e
candted ginger. chopped walnuts u,lxeA
wit, With seeded and chopped raisins. date
monds-al these mixtures are good for
| the duing. Nuts Of any kind, either
alone or In combination, can be used
The ags can be rolled in q little ane
granulated sugar or else served As they
are
Grilied ngs are an old convent dish.
To mako them soak dry figs an hour.
dry them on . soft cloth and eplit
them open. Pat them fat with a potato
salad OIL and broil them over q clear.
hot fire for q minute or two on each
side. Slip them on q hot dish and
| sprinkle them with lemon Juice and
terVs NJ In f,
i X
Fig pudding is a substantial dish
| that is easily made. MIX half a cup
| Of granulated sugar with half a pound
| OF figs. chopped fine. Add a cup of
| -four and another Of finely chopped beef
/ suet. Then add a little grated nutmeg,
tablespoonful OF molasses and a ta-
blespoonful Of milk. Butter and -four
| q pudding mold and pack the fg mix
ture in it. Tie it securely in a cloth
and boil 1t four hours. Serve with any
light pudding sauce. Lemon or wine
| sauce is especially good with it.
Another fig pudding Is made with
custard. This pudding calls for a
pound Of figs soaked for half an hour
They should then be dipped in some
unset lemon or wine Jelly and then
| arranged around the inside OF a jelly
mold. which has been buttered. Mix
the yolks of five beaten eggs with half
a cup OF granulated sugar and slowly
add q pint Of milk. Thfcken 1t in q
double boiler Soak half an ounce of
powdered gelatin in little cold wa
ter and dissolve 1t in hot water in a
double boiler-just enough hot water
to cover it. Cool 1t and then add 1t to
the whites Of two eggs. beaten stiff.
Stir until this mixture OF egg whites
and gelatin is stiff and white. Then
, add it to the cool custard and fill the
fig-lined mold with it. Chill for ten
hours before serving.
An easily made fig Jelly is this: Cook
pound of figs In boiling water until
and half of gelatin in cold water
and dissolve it in half a cup OF the wa
ter in which the figs were cooked. Add
three-fourths of cup of granulated
sugar to the gelatin and measure, add
ing enough canned cherry juice to
make a quart. Put a layer of this
liquid in the bottom of a mold. let ii
harden. add a layer of figs and another
layer OF jelly, let 1t harden again and
proceed in this way until all the figs
ana jelly are used Harden and serve
with whipped cream.
This is a good fig filling for any layer
cake: Chop half a pound of figs or run
them through a coarse division of the
vegetable chopper. Add three table
spoonfuls of sugar and three table
spoonfuis of boiling water. with q ta-
blespoonful Of lemon juice. Cook in =
double boiler until thick.