No i’m not talking about giving up the vino of course, a little less I have admit now it’s back to school time, but drying out some of summers bounty to preserve its sweetness and flavours for the coming cooler months, prolonging that taste of summer just a while longer.

My grapes were picked and put out to sunbathe for tiny raisins or currants, to be used in baking over the autumn or sprinkled in salads or cereals for breakfast.  Drying grapes in our area of Spain is very local tradition, which is celebrated with the ‘Ruta de Pasa‘ a lovely drive through the mountains’,taking in scenic whitewash villages, who lay out the grapes on the mountainside to dry beautifully in the Anadalcuian sunshine.  These will then by turned into unctious sweet Malaga wine and sweet delicacies.

Delighted this year I had a bumper crop of figs, fresh chutney was made, that will be enjoyed with strong cheeses and roasted meats, but I tried something new, I sundried my figs too .. for recipes such as ‘pan de higo’ a delcious figgy roll that is enjoyed as a tapa, or after dinner with a rich PX sherry and a slither of cured goats cheese.

Heres how to do it…

Picked, wash and halve the figs.

lay out seperately on trays lined with kichen paper.

Cover with fly nets and lay out in the sun to sry for a few days.  Bring in at night if where you are the morning are damp.

When the figs are dry and chewy, store in an airtight container and enjoy.

I also dry my tomatoes in the sun, you can read about that here.