October/November/December 2009

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Tis the Season!

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December marks the 50th anniversary of Valley Fig Growers, 1959 - 2009. In the late 1950's, German Chocolate Cake gained national popularity. While the name "German" Chocolate Cake seems to suggest a tie to Germany, the name actually refers to the type of chocolate used in the cake. German chocolate is named after the Walter Baker & Company (Baker's Chocolate) employee, Samuel German, who developed the chocolate in 1852.

Our delicious 2009 anniversary version of this classic dessert features, of course, premium quality California dried figs in the frosting and starts with a cake mix to save time. The cake with its rich, gooey frosting is placed under the broiler just before serving for a warm and superbly flavored finale. Our recipe makes two cakes, so you have one to keep and one to share at all your holiday gatherings.

German Chocolate Cake with Fig, Coconut and Toasted Pecan Frosting

Cake:

1  package (18 1/4-ounce) German Chocolate Cake Mix

Water (check package label for amount)

3 large eggs

Vegetable oil (check package label for amount)

Fig-Coconut Frosting :

1 cup stemmed, chopped Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice or Sun Maid Mission or Calimyrna figs

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2  cup butter

6  tablespoons whipping cream 

1 cup flaked coconut

1/2   cup chopped, toasted pecans

Follow package directions to heat oven, grease two 8-inch round cake pans and prepare cake batter with water, eggs and oil.  Bake and cool as directed.  For frosting, in medium saucepan combine figs, sugar, butter and cream.  Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer. Simmer 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Stir in coconut and pecans.  Spread warm frosting on top of cake layers, dividing evenly.  Place one layer at a time on a baking sheet or heatproof pan.  Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat for 15 to 30 seconds, or until frosting bubbles, watching constantly.  Remove from oven.  Repeat with second layer.  Cool.  Transfer cake layers to serving plates to serve.  Makes 2 single-layer cakes.

Just in Time for the Holidays --

        5-Pound Boxes of Mission and Calimyrna Figs

Back in stock at the Growers' Store, in time for all your holiday baking and cooking, are our popular 5-pound boxes of dark Fancy Mission Figs and golden Extra Fancy Calimyrna Figs. The quality of these figs is excellent this year and our Web site offers many great recipes. Some of our favorites include Stuffed Fig Appetizers, Chocolate Fig Crinkles and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies, Lemon Fig Bread with Almond Streusel, and Chocolate Fig Bon Bons.

Growers' Store Season Special--A Holiday Gift from Valley Fig Growers!

Receive a FREE bottle of our gourmet Fig Balsamic Vinegar

with a minimum order of $125.00 (excluding tax and shipping)

Use coupon code: FIGS2009

Fig Balsamic Vinegar, created in the tradition of the Mediterranean, blends robust Italian red wine vinegar with dried California figs that have been hand-picked at their peak of sweetness. An aromatic fruity vinegar with a delicately balanced sweet-tart flavor, Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice Fig Balsamic Vinegar adds complexity and allure to sauces, salad dressings and marinades; and delivers a simple, elegant finish to fish, poultry, and red meats. Use our Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice Fig Balsamic Vinegar in most recipes in place of traditional balsamic vinegar for a wonderful hint of fig.

Holiday Gift Giving Idea from the girl & the fig Cookbook

Acclaimed chef-owner, Sondra Bernstein, shares this wonderful relish recipe from her cookbook, the girl & the fig cookbook. Sondra's Fig and Olive Relish is the perfect recipe for holiday gift-giving. Pack the relish into decorative jars, tie with a brightly-colored ribbon and attach a festive recipe card. Give to friends and family with a bottle of our delicious Fig Balsamic Vinegar and a copy of the girl & the fig cookbook. Order copies of the cookbook at our Growers' Store along with the figs and balsamic vinegar. Visit the girl & the fig web site, www.thegirlandthefig.com, for more great gifts, to make reservations at the restaurants and to find out the latest with Sondra.

Enjoy the Season with Recipes from On the Nutrition Front

By Cherryl Bell, RD, MS

Nutrition powerhouses, California dried figs and sweet potatoes, come together in an updated seasonal favorite. This recipe for Sweet Potato Pie with Fig and Pecan Topping features a stunning fig and toasted pecan topping that works equally well on pumpkin pie. Whether you prefer pumpkin or lean towards sweet potato, our fig topping will reward you with pie perfection.

Luscious sweet, moist, dark Mission or golden Calimyrna California figs are simmered in brandy and maple syrup and swirled with toasted pecans. Spooned over a silky smooth sweet potato filling, this showy classic pie is even more appealing when you realize it started with a refrigerated pie crust.

Described by many as one of the most nutritious foods, sweet potatoes offer an outstanding array of nutrients and fiber. Despite its name, the sweet potato is not related to the potato, nor is it related to the yam. Sweet potatoes contain more than twice the amount of beta-carotene than most fruits and vegetables, and are an excellent source of vitamin C.

Calimyrna and Mission figs are nutrition standouts, especially when it comes to dietary fiber. Five dried California figs provide 5 grams of dietary fiber, along with iron, calcium, and potassium.

Chewy Ginger Molasses Fig Cookies

A classic favorite with a holiday twist--sweet, chewy figs. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, these cookies are bursting with a traditional combination of ginger,molasses, and cinnamon spices. Perfect for gift giving and holiday cookie exchanges. This recipe won top honors with our tasting panel. The cookies freeze well, making it an easy recipe to double. Order our 5-pound box of fancy Missions and start baking!

Chocolate Fig Crinkles

Chocolate Fig Crinkles are fudgy on the inside and have rich chocolate taste with bursts of sweet fig flavor. The crackly outside is a delightful contrast to the chewy figs and chocolate inside. These cookies, like the Ginger Molasses Fig, work equally well with our Mission and Calimyrna Figs.

Happy Holidays from All Of Us At Valley Fig Growers!