The Hamper Emporium 2022 Christmas Catalogue - Catalog - Page 21
21
THE
FIGGERY
DA N PAT T INGAL E ’ S STORY
The Figgery can be found
at Stokes Bay—a pristine
getaway on the secluded
North Coast of Kangaroo
Island. With white sands and
clear waters, this dreamy
location is home to the oldest
fig trees on the island.
All 300 fig trees in The
Figgery’s orchard can be
traced back to a single
ancestor. In fact, the mother
tree is roughly 140 years young
and is still in excellent health
today, proving just how much
these trees are able to thrive in
the area.
The fruit grown at The Figgery
is used to create two illustrious
products: the Sticky Figs and
the Sticky Fig Syrup. These
delicious gourmet treats are
both brimming with flavour.
Producer Dan Pattingale
started with the Sticky Figs.
Fruit is hand-harvested a day
before it’s perfectly ripe, then
simmered in a syrup of sugar,
white wine, and vinegar.
They’re then drained and
dried, ready to be enjoyed. The
result is truly special.
As time passed, Dan realised
the leftover syrup had just as
much potential.
‘When I first started doing this
I didn’t know what to do with
it,’ he says of the syrup. ‘I was
tipping it out!’
Now, he reduces it until it’s
shelf-stable. What’s left could
be compared to high-quality
maple syrup. With intense
sweetness, a small amount
is all you need to make an
impression. According to Dan,
‘it’s highly addictive’.
A dedication to fresh produce
helps make The Figgery such
an outstanding operation.
From March to May, it’s fig
season. This means daily trips
to every single tree in the
orchard (yes, all 300 of them)
to check the ripeness of each
fruit. Those that are almost
perfect get picked. Within 24
hours, at optimal ripeness,
they are processed.
‘If you want a perfect fig, you
have to have a fig tree,’ says
Dan. ‘They’re at their best
straight off the tree’.
This precision isn’t usually
accessible to most. Thank
goodness someone figured
out how to bottle it.