Fig and Grape Preserves

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh, ripe figs (black or green)
• 1 lb. green muscat grapes
• 1/2 lb. raisins (black or white)
• 1 vanilla bean, or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 lb. brown sugar
• 2 cups water
• juice of half a lemon

Directions

Wash the fresh fruit. Cut the tips off the figs and remove the grapes from their stems. Place all the ingredients in a stainless steel or enamel pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the preserves are thick, about 40 minutes. Add the lemon juice. Ladle the hot fig-grape mixture into clean jars and chill uncovered overnight. The next day, cover each jar with plastic wrap, and a clean fig leaf, tied on with raffia, or ribbon, or tie on a circle of brown paper or colored cloth. Keep in the refrigerator.