I told my mom recently she should start her own artisan food business and make fig preserves. I would be very happy to be her only customer, as her fig preserves are the best I have ever tasted. She modestly credits the small, sweet figs that flourish in East Texas. I’ve been on a fairly futile search for artisan fig preserves that taste as good as Mom’s. I’m always surprised that many people apparently believe the great taste of figs needs to be enhanced by the addition of other fruit flavors like orange, lemon or even strawberry. Not so in my book; the flavor profile of figs is distinct enough to stand on its own. It is hard to describe the flavor of figs. I read one description claiming that figs taste like a cross between a peach and a strawberry, but I’m not sure I agree with that assessment, and I’m also not sure I can give you a better description!
After trying a few disappointing brands of fig preserves, I found Dalmatia Fig Spread. Dalmatia offers two fig spread flavors, original and orange, and of course, I chose the original flavor. The appearance of the spread in the jar was promising — dark in color with a jammy consistency. The aroma was deliciously familiar and the taste was right on target. I grew up eating fig preserves only at breakfast on toast or biscuits, but I’ve since learned to enjoy figs in different ways. Dalmatia Fig Spread with goat cheese and crackers was a popular item at a recent lunch buffet we hosted. Now that I have Dalmatia Fig Spread in my pantry, I’m going to recreate a fig, prosciutto, and goat cheese pizza I enjoyed at a local upscale restaurant.
Dalmatia lies on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea in Croatia, where sun and sea combine for a unique growing climate. Dalmatian farming families hand-pick the figs , and sun dry them on wooden pallets. The figs are imported into the United States, where the spread is made. I’ll let you know if I talk my mom into starting an artisan fig preserve business, because you are going to want to be in on that. Until then, Dalmatia Fig Spread is a delicious addition to sweet and savory dishes. I bought Dalmatia Fig Spread at Central Market, it is available at World Market, and from several Amazon vendors.
Foods We Love 