Figs and ferments just go hand in hand. Well, so does fig jam and fromage blanc on a raisin-rosemary crisp…but I digress. When I spied these fresh organic black figs at Trader Joe’s, I knew they were coming home with me, and that they’d be part of a very special live beverage.
These figs are just so plump and soft – it’s difficult not to just eat them all right out of the container, but I managed to restrain myself so that I had some left for water kefir.
To finished water kefir 1F (first ferment), I added one whole, mashed fig. Very ripe, it squashed easily under my muddler. I added the fruit to the bottle of water kefir, closed it, and shook it vigorously. Then, I left it to do a 2F (second ferment) for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, the liquid was a pretty pink color. I strained out the fig and transferred the water kefir to a flip-top bottle. After it chilled, it was ready to enjoy – and it was sublime!
My guess is that these fresh organic figs won’t be available at TJ’s for long, so get them soon if you want some! They freeze well, too, so they can be preserved for use when fresh ones aren’t readily available.