#dried figs

ok ok ok i have really good news for u: my bakery is literally My Bakery, it's a small business selling homebaked bread+baked goods+value added products in the portland area, though i'm based out of a smaller city than portland. haven't decided if i'm going to be publicizing this on my tumblr blog yet, but i probably will, so details maybe to follow

point is

basically i have to make the dried fig and honey country sourdough your old job made. and i have to rehydrate tghe dired figs. ok!

We were getting some dolls out for a visitor when we saw this curious object in the same box.

We didn’t think it looked like a doll at first, but on closer inspection it is indeed a figure. Before we tell you, can you guess what it’s made from?

Object number 19.2.58/1

The first part of the number, is also the date in which it was acquired by the museum.

I signed up to have a food box delivered from the food bank. This box is supposed to help feed a family of 4 for the month. However, the boxes keep containing items that can't be used. We turn around and donate most of the items in the box so someone could get some use out of them.

In the pic below, you will see items that come every month. We can't use them. No one in my home likes raisins (2 bags) or canned salmon (3 cans) which is vile. Who uses 2 bags dried figs and 2 bags of dates if you aren't a baker which is something I can't do anymore. Every month, these items fill the box.

We did get 3 cans of corn, 3 cans of green beans, 1 can of kidney beans, and, 2 cans of vegetable soup. That's it. There's no protein, no canned meat, cereal, oats, pasta, anything. This is meant to feed a family of 4.

If you do donate to food banks, please keep in mind that many people do not have access to a stove/cooktop, can opener, or a microwave. Donate canned goods with pull tabs, granola bars, jerky, cereal (there's no shame in eating dry cereal).

These food bank boxes are unrealistic and not very helpful. Since I am physically unable to drive to a food bank, the delivery service is supposed to help. It's a shame that it doesn't.

This is going to be the last month I get this box.

@helly-watermelonsmellinfellon

The ancient tradition of drying figs in Calabria

Figs are a unique fruit resembling a teardrop. They’re about the size of your thumb, filled with hundreds of tiny seeds, and have an edible purple or green peel. The flesh of the fruit is pink and has a mild, sweet taste. The scientific name for the fig is Ficus carica.

The Dottato fig variety (or Kadota in the US) is the most common in Calabria and is usually found from the 2nd week of August into September (it’s also my personal favorite). The Dottato fig has green skin and a white / golden interior. The flesh is creamy, sweet, and bright tasting. The dottato fig variety is also a good choice for drying.

In Southern Italy's Calabria dried figs are a centuries-old tradition, which came here alongside with the Phoenicians. The particular environmental situation of Calabria has created special conditions which in other areas of Mediterranean were impossible.

Figs — and their leaves — are packed with nutrients and offer a variety of potential health benefits. They may promote healthy digestion, decrease your risk of heart disease, and help you manage your blood sugar levels.

Dried figs are high in sugar and rich in calories, as the sugar becomes concentrated when the fruits are dried.

Calabrian crocette are dried figs stuffed with almonds or walnuts and then baked in the oven with a pinch of cinnamon and a touch of your favorite liqueur. They can be consumed as is or covered with a thin layer of chocolate. They must, however, be stuffed and closed according to tradition. Each crocetta is made of four figs opened in half and held together. They are overlapped with another open fig so as to form a cross – hence the name. At this point they are stuffed and closed with two other half-opened dried figs.

Follow us on Instagram, @calabria_mediterranea