"WeLoveJam" news and stories

After reading that title, you might be wondering what unifying force could be bringing pickles, barbecue sauce and plum jam together under the same heading. The thing they have in common is that they are all made by the folks at We Love Jam, the same artisan producers who made the Blenheim apricot jam I wrote about last month.

It might seem a little incongruous that a company that includes jam in their name is making items that do not qualify as a fruit preserve. However now that I've had a taste of some of these other products, I'm thrilled that they decided to branch out. The world needs more companies that make food the way that they do, with care, attention to detail and a whole lot of quality ingredients. In addition to their amazing apricot love-in-a-jar, they also produce a spicy deep purple Mariposa jam, a tangy, kicky barbecue sauce and some balanced, crisp bread and butter pickles.

Of these three products, I have to spend a little time telling you how good this barbecue sauce is. When I was in high school, my dad had a friend who made barbecue sauce from his father's recipe. It had depth, with a perfect balance of sweet and spice. My father was such a big fan of Mr. Brown's sauce that he actually made a small investment in the company, primarily so that he could get his hands on a plenitude of the sauce. Such easy access to Mr. Brown's sauce ruined me for commercial sauces and I haven't found anything that lived up until this sauce from We Love Jam appeared in my life. I now look for excuses to eat it, slathering it on roasted chicken and making a small pool of it on the side of a plate of scrambled eggs. It's going to be a sad day when that little jar is empty.

When the folks at Jam contacted me and asked if I'd like to try out a jar of their Blenheim Apricot Jam, I was hesitant to accept. Not because I don't love jam but because the vast majority of jam I've eaten in my lifetime has been made by my mom and she makes some really terrific jam. She hand picks blueberries, wild blackberries and yellow plums for her jam. It's so good that in past years she has sold it at craft fairs and frequently gives it as gifts. Because of my mom's cooking and canning skills, I know good jam.

These folks know good jam too. When I received the box, I immediately took it into the kitchen, broke the seal on the jar and dipped a spoon in. I touched a small amount to my tongue and waited for a reaction from my tastebuds. They nearly danced from the joy of the jam. The flavor is intensely apricot-y and smooth. It has the power to turn an ordinary piece of toast into something exalted. I imagine it would be amazing as the fruit layer in a cake or jelly roll. It is awesome, amazing jam.

They make it in small batches, canning it the old fashioned way, just like my mom does. It's a little bit spendy, coming in at $20 a jar before shipping, so I would rank it as a treat for a special occasion. If you have a jam lover in your life towards whom you are feeling particularly generous, this (along with a nice, crusty loaf of bread) would make an excellent gift.