Why go to the trouble to make your own fig jam to bake a batch of fig bars?

Just let me count the reasons why.

One, fresh figs beckon like crazy at the farmers markets right now.

Two, making fig jam prolongs the life of this exquisite fruit that’s highly perishable and can turn moldy in an instant once ripe.

Three, all it takes is one taste to make you glad you made this lovely jam that’s redolent of cardamom and ginger.

And four, frankly, freshly made jam in freshly baked jam bars just can’t be beat.

That’s why I decided to devote the time to making both the “Fig Jam” and the “Jam Bar” recipes from the new cookbook, “It Starts with Fruit: Simple Techniques and Delicious Recipes for Jams, Marmalades, and Preserves” (Chronicle Books), of which I received a review copy.

The cookbook is by Jordan Champagne, the co-founder of Happy Girl Kitchen in Pacific Grove, know for its pickles, shrubs and jams. With that kind of background, it’s no wonder that this is such a definitive guide to making all manner of preserves.

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