Pumpkins and figs

This year has been a bumper year for the fig trees and for our pumpkins. 

We must have collected well over 500 figs this summer. Some we ate, some were baked into fig cakes - used instead of apples or bananas in some simple loaf tin bakes, some were dried - not a success, some made into jam - sort of successful but sweet, many were given away, so,e thrown away if i didn't get to do something with them in time, and many were frozen. I read that the best way to freeze in cooked fruits was to cut in half, dip in lemon juice and open freeze. When frozen, bag. This worked well but I have a freezer full! Yet more figs were gently poached in honey or just in a little water and then frozen in plastic containers. It is indeed fortunate that we have a spare freezer! My only issue is when on earth I will get to use this abundant crop.

The pumpkins looked as if they were going to good very early on and so it turned out. Lots of sun, not a lot of rain and taking care of them. Halloween will be fun and there will be pans full of pumpkin soup and an oven full of roasted pumpkin - no doubt to be frozen and added to the freezer.

Then there are the apples - many windfalls already and a number of trees looking as if there are apples ready to pick. I am beginning to worry about whether there is enough space in the freezers......