Fig Jam

Busy domestic day. Made a batch of yogurt, did some laundry, picked figs and made this batch of jam. I love the little gift sized jars. In the middle of it all, the contractor needed the contents of the studio rearranged--not an easy task, and the painter appeared to put a second coat of nasty smelling varnish on the side door.

The figs are perfectly ripe and sweet. They are Genoa, or green figs, but look: the jam is a beautiful reddish pink! 

The last time I did a kitchen blip, I believe it was Lois who asked about the story of  the little yellow car... ..Ah, the yellow car. Did I really think no one would notice it? of course it has a story. And it begins: there used to be a wonderful kitchen store downtown, and I've racked my brain trying to remember the name of it, as if knowing this would make a difference to the outcome of the tale. I used to love browsing in that store, although the only time I could afford to buy anything was during their once a year big clearance sale. There was all matter of stuff on the tables, some of it slightly askew, some just odd leftovers, but it was always possible to find treasures for hardly any money. This was in the eighties sometime, and there was a line of products incorporating Matchbox toy cars: a cocktail glass on a little red vehicle and salt and pepper shakers on various collector cars. For some reason I coveted these things, but they were crazy expensive. And then there it was on the sale table, a yellow VW bug fitted out as a mobile salt shaker. I bought two, and sent one to a friend who had an identical, but larger, yellow VW. And how I delighted in saying to the grandkids, "Does anyone want salt? Can I pass you the salt?" And then I'd scoot it across the table. And they'd roll their eyes. After many years the metal top oxidized and isn't very appropriate for food any more, but the car remains in the kitchen and has been in almost all of the kitchen pix that I've ever posted.