Fig Folly Recipe

Prepare figs and perilla

Rinse figs and perilla leaves. Trim stems from figs and quarter 4 of the figs; reserve the remaining 4 whole for optional muddling or garnish. Roughly chiffonade or tear the perilla leaves to release oils.

Cook and infuse

In a small saucepan combine 1 cup water and the quartered figs. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook 6 minutes until figs soften. Remove from heat, add the torn perilla leaves, and let steep 20 minutes, covered, to extract flavor without overcooking the perilla.

Sweeten and finish cordial

Strain the fig-perilla infusion through a fine mesh sieve, pressing solids to extract liquid. Return the strained liquid to the saucepan, add 1/2 cup rice syrup and 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and warm gently just until the syrup is fully incorporated (do not boil). Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon red ginseng extract. Taste and adjust: if too intense, add up to 1–2 tablespoons water; if too tart, add up to 1 tablespoon more rice syrup. Cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour. This yields about 6–8 ounces (enough for several servings).

Optional blended cordial (richer texture)

If you prefer a thicker, pulpy cordial for a more textured drink, reserve 2 of the cooked figs before straining and puree them with 1 ounce of the strained liquid in a blender, then recombine with the remaining cordial. Adjust texture with additional strained liquid as needed.

Glassware and ice

Fill a highball or Collins glass with 1 cup of ice (or enough to chill).

Assemble the drink

Pour 2 oz of the chilled perilla-fig cordial over the ice. If making a spirited version, add 1.5 oz gin or vodka now. Top gently with 3 oz chilled club soda and stir once gently to combine without flattening the soda.

Garnish and serve

Garnish with a quartered fresh fig placed on the rim or floated, and a fresh perilla leaf tucked against the glass. Serve immediately with a straw or long spoon.

Serving notes

This recipe serves 2 (when using 2 oz cordial per drink) or 1 generous serve if using the optional spirit measure. Cordial will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days; shake or stir before using as separation may occur. Adjust cordial quantity to taste for sweeter or more pronounced fig-perilla flavor; the red ginseng gives an earthy, slightly bitter root note—start with 1 tsp total for the batch and add sparingly.