294 THE FIG: ITS HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CURING. 
a cup of sugar; to every cup of water add a teaspoonful of cider vinegar. one stick 
of cinnamon, crushed in sntall pieces. Boil the liquor. Insert a clove in the eye 
of each fig and pack in a glass jar. Pour the filtered liquor over the figs. Steam 
the jars first with the cover on loosely for twenty-five minutes. Then place on 
the rubber bands, screw down cover lightly, and steam for twenty minutes more. 
Crystallized jigs.—The figs must be picked when fully ripe, but before they are 
shriveled. Take figs of as even a size as possible in order to save assorting after- 
wards. Simmer ina kettle for twenty to thirty minutes, but do not allow to boil. 
When ready the figs will have become clear and semitransparent. Drain off the 
water. Prepare a strong sirup of best white sugar and drop the figs in. Keep 
this in a cool place. In from twenty-four to thirty-six hours the figs will have 
absorbed most of the sugar and the sirup become very weak. Draw off the sirup, 
add more white sugar, and thus make the sirup stronger. Simmer, but do not 
boil. Drop the figs in and test again in twenty-four hours. If the sirup is weak 
renew the process. When the sirup retains its strength, the process is discon- 
tinued. Prepare a very strong sirup of best white sugar; simmer, but do not boil. 
Previous to this the figs are dried in the sun or in drier until they slightly ring 
when dropped on a stone floor. The figs should, however, not be so dry that they 
can not be readily indented when pressed between the fingers. Now immerse 
these dried figs for a few seconds in the strong, hot sirup, then drain off and 
place on wire trays in a hot-air drier or in the hot sun, if on a warm day. The 
sirup dries quickly and leaves the figs glacéd. If crystallized figs are wanted, the 
figs are slowly dried in the shade, in which case the sirup crystallizes instead of 
producing a glace. 
Candied jigs.—Are made only from young green figs not yet fully ripe. Place 
in glass jars, pour on salt water, and steam until soft. Pour off the salt water 
and pour over a sirup made of one cup of sugar to three of water. After a day 
take out, place on wire screens, and allow to drip for one or two days in a warm 
place. Place again in jars or earthenware; cover with a sirup made of one cup of 
sugar to one and one-half cups of water. After a day take out and allow to drip. 
The third soaking should be in a sirup made of one cup of sugar to one-half cup 
of water. In this sirup the figs are allowed to remain as long as possible, or until 
required. Takeout, drip, and roll in confectioners’ powdered white sugar in a pan 
made lukewarm. When the figs have absorbed all the sugar they can they are 
taken out and packed in large boxes with powdered sugar. The preserved fruit 
is afterwards repacked in small boxes for the market. 
