The September Fig Box

A taste of the Gjelina Group restaurants interpreted through a single ingredient. This September our chefs at Gjelina, Gjusta, and GTA created a lineup all spotlighting the figs from Mud Creek Ranch in Santa Paula, CA.

The pantry boxes are available in limited edition and ready to ship nationwide.

Shop the September box exclusively at Gjusta Goods here.

GTA’s Fig Glaze
Infused with rosemary and golden balsamic, use the glaze to add flavor to roasted chicken, pork shops, tenderloin, and more.

Gjusta’s Fig & Walnut Honey
A twist on our classic Gjusta California walnut honey, made with Bill’s Bees raw honey from the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and dried figs. Spoon onto yogurt, ice cream (or eat by the spoonful!)

Gjelina’s Fig Mostarda
Use our mustard as an accompaniment to a charcuterie spread, paired with cheese, cured meat, and a Gjusta baguette.

Gjusta Goods’ book of the month: “Gods, Wasps, and Stranglers: The Secret History and Redemptive Future of Fig Trees” by Mike Shanahan
Discover the amazing history behind the humble fig tree — and how they have “affected humanity in profound but little-known ways.”

About the Farm: Mud Creek Ranch in Santa Paula, CA

Tucked away down a narrow canyon in Santa Paula, Mud Creek Ranch is part family homestead, part farm experiment.  It  was originally purchased in 1985 by Steven and Robin Smith, both of whom came from a long line of farmers, wanting a place to grow healthy food for their family. Though they were both trained in conventional farming, they quickly switched to organic practices in 1990, knowing that it was better for the land and their children. 

What makes Mud Creek unique is the staggering variety of fruits they grow, particularly citrus but also figs, avocados, mulberries, & stone fruit. At last count (they stopped counting) it was almost 400 different specialty varieties, They never oriented the farm towards commercial growing, instead, when they find something they like the taste of at a university showcase or a nursery, they’ll order some trees and see how they do in their microclimate.

The Smiths have always planted new trees wherever there were openings that seemed suitable to that type of tree, unlike most farmers who would arrange the trees by variety, in blocks of rows for mechanized care and ease of harvest. The sprawling, uneven planting creates a charming feeling of a backyard orchard, albeit a very large one, or of the mixed agriculture of a century ago.  This method has allowed them to create one of the most diverse ecosystems in Ventura County.