Fruit Preserves Around the World

In today’s post I want to explore the different fruit spreads that are made and enjoyed all around the world. How cool is it that food brings us together like this? Globally, we enjoy fruits and sugar – a classic combination – preserved and ready to be eaten with other foods.

Here are some of the fruit preserves I encountered – all of which look and sound delicious!

Cheong

Cheong is a variety of sweet foods such as fruit preserves, marmalades, and syrups in Korean cuisine. It is used in cooking, as a sweetener, a condiment, or as medicine. 

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Maesil-cheong is plum syrup made by sugaring ripe plums, and tea made with maesil-cheong is called maesil-cha (plum tea).

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According to Wikipedia, “it can be made by simply mixing plums and sugar together, and then leaving them for about 100 days. To make syrup, the ratio of sugar to plum should be at least 1:1 to prevent fermentation, by which the liquid may turn into maesil-ju (plum wine). The plums can be removed after 100 days, and the syrup can be consumed right away, or mature for a year or more.” 

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Mogwa-cheong is preserved quince which, similar to maesil-cheong, is made by sugaring quince. While maesil-cheong is typically used as a sweetener or condiment, mogwa-cheong is used in sauces and salad dressings. If used as a tea, it is called mogwa-cha (quince tea) and mogwa-hwachae (quince punch).

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Yuja-cheong is yuja marmalade made by sugaring peeled, depulped, sliced yuja. Like maesil-cheong, it is used as a sweetener and as a condiment. It can also be used as a tea base to make yuja-cha (yuja tea).

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Chutney

Chutney is a name for a variety of condiments and sauces in Indian cuisine. Examples include:

• Tomato relish
• Ground peanut garnish
• Yogurt
• Curd
• Cucumber
• Spicy coconut
• Spicy onion
• Mint dipping sauce

Chutneys  are commonly served alongside fresh ingredients or pickles, matured in the sun. Occasionally, medicinal plants are made into chutneys. Chutneys can also vary in flavor and color, resulting in them actually being served together. 

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According to Wikipedia, “in Tamil Nadu, Thogayal or Thuvayal (Tamil) are preparations similar to chutney but with a pasty consistency. In Andhra Pradesh it is also called Roti Pacchadi. In Kerala it is also called Chammanthi and in Telangana it is called Tokku. Thengai chutney, a coconut based chutney is the one being referred when only ‘chutney’ is said.”

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How are chutneys made? Typically with a mortar and pestle, or an ammikkal (Tamil). Spices are also typically added. Popular spices and ingredients added are as follows:

• Fenugreek
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Asafoetida
• Capsicum
• Mint
• Tamarind
• Imli
• Coconut
• Onion
• Prune

• Tomato
• Red Chili
• Green Chili
• Mango
• Lime
• Peanut
• Ginger
• Dahi
• Red Chili Powder
• Cilantro
• Apricot

Confit

The word “confit” comes from the French verb “confire,” which literally means “to preserve.” 

While confit can also refer to meat prepared in a similar fashion, fruit confit also exists and consists of either whole or pieces of candied fruit preserved in sugar.

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The fruit becomes fully infused with sugar, meaning larger fruits take longer to become fully candied.

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Side note: apparently you can also make garlic confit? Holy sh*t.

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Recipe for the garlic confit here: https://www.triedandtruerecipe.com/2019/11/23/garlic-confit-recipe/

Konfyt

Konfyt is a South African jam or fruit preserve. Based on research, it appears to be made from melon and/or watermelon, but not the flesh of the fruit – the rind!

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Quite a few recipes can be found online, and I am curious to read and learn more about watermelon konfyt.

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Varenye 

Varenye is a fruit preserve which consists of whole fruits, which is popular in Eastern Europe and the Baltic Region.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varenye

While varenye is similar to jam, it must be noted that the fruits are whole. They are not macerated at all, and no gel agent is used to thicken the preserve.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varenye

The syrup is typically transparent rather than colored because of this, as the color of the fruit is not tainting the syrup.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varenye

While it is typically made with berries or other fruits, it can also be made with nuts, vegetables, and flowers, cooked in sugar syrup.

Pine cone varenye – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varenye

According to Wikipedia, even pine cones can be used! 

Murabba

Murabba is a sweet fruit preserve popular in South Caucasus, Centra Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East.

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It is made with both sugar and spices, as well as fruit. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murabba

Popular types of murabba include:

• Apple
• Apricot
• Gooseberry
• Mango
• Plum
• Quince

Slatko

Slatko is a fruit preserve from Bulgaria or Serbia, made of either fruit or rose petals. It is also traditionally a thinner fruit preserve, and popular fruits used include wild strawberries, blueberries, plums, and cherries. Although, I’m curious about the rose petal variety!

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According to Wikipedia, “the most usual types of slatko are those made of whole strawberries, slightly unripe skinned plums or sour cherries. Other fresh fruits like raspberries, sweet cherries, watermelon cubes, rose petals, quinces, grapes, figs, skinned apricot halves or quarters, peaches, blueberries, blackberries or redcurrants can also be used. If a plum slatko is prepared, walnut halves or almonds may be added to the mixture or even inserted into the plums themselves to replace the pits.”

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Which of these fruit preserves have you had, and which would you like to try? I think it is exciting to branch out and try foods I haven’t before, because the world is so big with so many things to experience.

Much love,
Melissa

Lemon Blueberry English Muffin + Blueberry Jam = *chefs kiss*

Today let’s talk about another perfect pairing, the Lemon Blueberry English Muffins from Stone & Skillet paired with Barnacle Foods Alaskan Blueberry Jam.

Out of all of the Stone & Skillet English Muffins I bought, the Lemon Blueberry flavor was my absolute favorite. On top of that, out of all the Barnacle Foods jams I got, the Blueberry Jam was my favorite. Seems I have a thing for blueberries, huh?

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I decided to give them a try together, toasting up the Lemon Blueberry English Muffin before slathering it in butter and jam.

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An absolute winner here. The English muffins, as I’ve said in other posts, really hold their own. They have a great chew to them, getting nice and toasty on the outside while still being soft on the inside. The butter and jam are truly able to “ride” the English muffins – neither overpowers the other. Instead, they work together – the muffin holds the jam, and the jam melts into the muffin.

https://gph.is/g/Z8BgN1n

Together, they are blueberry bliss. Absolute perfect blueberry bliss. Not too sweet, just sweet enough – the jam isn’t clawing, and the butter helps balance any of that out, anyway. And then you get that hint of lemon? A perfect spark of acid to bring you back to reality, keep you on earth. The berries pop in your mouth, fresh, delicious, perfect.

Much love,
Melissa

Garlic & Onion Triscuits + Fig Jam = *heart eyes emoji*

Well, today I’ve got a “Perfect Pair” to share with you: Garlic & Onion Triscuits and FROG Jam. I apologize in advance for 1) my sh!tty photos, I was too excited eating these to set up good lighting and take quality pics and 2) the two Shrek references I couldn’t resist.

I stumbled upon this combination by mistake – I randomly wanted a snack in the middle of the day, and my dad had recently purchased these new Triscuits. I thought, maybe some jam might go good with these, but what flavor matches with garlic and onion? I ended up choosing the FROG Jam, and boy am I glad I did – the two go perfect together.

Let’s start with these delicious crackers – Garlic & Onion Triscuits, woven with poppy seeds. I’ve always been a fan of Triscuits – they have great flavor and texture, and are so easy to enjoy by themselves or with toppings.

If you want to buy this flavor for yourself, I found it on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Triscuit-Garlic-Onion-Poppy-Seed/dp/B07MYL61T4

The flavor of these Triscuits is true to the name – a nice savory blend of garlic and onion. While it is a strong flavor, it’s not too strong. You can eat quite a few without feeling overwhelmed.

If you’re interested in different Triscuit/topping combos, there are a ton of recipes over at https://www.triscuit.com/ – between their social media pages, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, etc. you’re sure to find a recipe you’ll like.

I, however, went with the FROG Jam, which you can read more about here. Long story short, it’s a pretty figgy jam, so I’d say that’s the main flavor working with the garlic and onion of the Triscuits. Something about that sweet tang and the savory depth of the crackers just worked so well together.

Did I use a little bit too much jam, and did I eat a little bit too many of these? Yes… Did I get jam on my desk and lose quite a few minutes of work to snacking and cleaning up my mess? Also yes…

And I’d do it again! Actually, I did do it again, and ended up finishing most of the jam and crackers… oops.

#yolo

Much like Shrek and Fiona, the Triscuits and Frog Jam are a perfect pair…

Much love,
Melissa

Barnacle Foods Jam & Jelly Sampler

I last talked about Barnacle Foods over in my review of their absolutely lovely Blueberry Jam. But, I’d like to talk about them again today to share just how awesome this Jam Sampler is!

I did talk about Barnacle Foods a little bit in the Blueberry Jam post, but I’ll reiterate here. Matt and Lia, pictured above, are Alaskans dedicated to sharing locally grown, harvested, and foraged ingredients with their friends, family, and customers. Read more here: https://www.barnaclefoods.com/pages/about-us

We are stubbornly rooted, like a Barnacle to a rock, withstanding all challenging conditions of the coast the crashing waves, frigid wind in the winter, and the best days of summer, too.

https://www.barnaclefoods.com/pages/about-us

Now let’s talk a little bit about this sampler. It includes three jams, and is a great place to start if you’re interested in checking out their spreads. They also have a Jam and Jelly Box, which comes in a gift box if you’re feeling a little more fancy. Other samplers include a Kelp Salsa Sampler / Box, Bloody Mary Box, Alaska Box, Spicy Box, and Kelp Seasonings Box. Basically, if you wanna give some stuff a try, they’ve got you covered. You can check out all of their products online here: https://www.barnaclefoods.com/collections/all

The Blueberry Jam is my favorite of the three, and you can read my review on it here. Meanwhile, my Mama Jen who gifted me the sampler, loves the Spruce Tip Jelly. Here are descriptions of all three, which can be found here:

• Blueberry: as close as you can come to eating these rainforest blueberries straight off of the blueberry bush. WIld Alaskan blueberries burst with flavor and tartness. Hand-picked along the coast, this jam is a pantry staple.
• Spruce Tip: the true taste of spring in Alaska. A hint of citrus from the Sitka spruce tips makes for a sweet, fresh flavored jelly. Spread on toast, mix in a cocktail, or pair with your favorite cheese.
• Rhubarb: tart and fruity rhubarb make for a spreadable addition to a variety of dishes. Top vanilla ice cream or toast, use with poultry or spread and bake on salmon.

Which sounds the most intriguing to you?

Much love,
Melissa

Cheeseboard @ Rats Restaurant

Today I want to share with you a beautiful restaurant that I went to recently: Rats Restaurant, located in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. You can read more about Rats Restaurant on their website, here: https://www.ratsrestaurant.com/about/

As soon as we arrived, we were seated outdoors next to a beautiful koi pond. Our table left us able to view the fish and lily pads, which was absolutely gorgeous.

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Just off of the koi pond was a lovely garden with color flowers of every kind. I truly felt like I was in a magical fairy garden.

A relaxing and exotic escape featuring delightful cuisine, spectacular views and elegant ambiance, Rat’s Restaurant is the perfect dining destination.

https://www.ratsrestaurant.com/about/

There were quite a few non-alcoholic drinks that we could choose from, including “Watermelon Cucumber Fresca,” “Blueberry Lemonade,” and “Cherry Spritzer.” We may or may not have tried all three… and loved them all.

On the lunch menu, there are a selection of cheeseboards to choose from. You can check out the menu here: https://www.ratsrestaurant.com/lunch-menu/

Out of the “Artisanal Cheese,” “Charcuterie,” and “Cheese &Charcuterie” options, we went with the “Artisanal Cheese” because I don’t eat meat – and also, I just really wanted to try the seasonal jam.

I paired the jam with cheese and apples, as included with the cheeseboard. Regardless of what combination I went with, I was pleasantly surprised at how well all of the ingredients paired together.

We got four types of cheeses, sliced apples, crostini, cashews and almonds, and the seasonal jam, which was raspberry.

Are you a fan of jams with cheeses? I’m a sucker for a good cheeseboard. And I may or may not want to get married at Rats now. 😉

Much love,
Melissa

Fruits of the Forest Jam from Wightman Farms

Today let’s talk about this ethereal jam from Wightman Farms, Fruits of the Forest!

I mentioned in my post about Wightman Farms that when I first laid eyes on this jam, I couldn’t help but think of fairies and enchanted forests. One of my favorite aesthetics.

Now, what are the “fruits of the forest,” you may ask? Well, according to the ingredients, this jam is a blend of apples, strawberries, red raspberries, blackberries, and rhubarb. All fruits that I thoroughly enjoy. I like that this jam is fruits of the forest, not berries of the forest – although, I might like a jam that promises that, too 😉

TW: calories mentioned in below image.

Today I decided to spread this jam on a good old English Muffin, a great vessel for fruit spreads. The classic nooks and crannies really absorb the jam, and provide a great base for you to experience the flavors.

As you can see, the jam is a dark red shade, likely due to the mix of red fruits and darker fruits involved. There are also small seeds sprinkled about, likely from the different berries. While the seeds are visible, they didn’t provide excess texture – this jam was smooth and thick, while also spreadable. It did not fall out of the jar, though, when tipped to the side.

You’re probably thinking, okay Melissa, so what did you think of this jam? Well, it’s delicious. The best way I can describe the flavor is that the apple really shines through and is beautifully complimented by the accompanying fruits.

It immediately tasted “warm” to me, but I soon realized it was just the apple flavor reminding me of a cozy Autumn day like when I eat apple butter. As I tried to focus in on the flavors, I slowly noticed that each of the fruits took their own turns enhancing the flavor of the apple. You get tanginess, sweetness, and yet a mellow flavor – nothing is overpowering, they all work harmoniously to provide a balanced and delicious jam.

It isn’t quite an apple jam and it isn’t quite a mixed berry jam – it is quite literally a fruits of the forest party-in-my-mouth jam.

Let’s just plan a fairy tea party and eat this jam on croissants all day.

Much love,
Melissa

Frog Jam vs. Apple Butter – Wightman Farms

Today we’ll be talking about two fruit spreads that both remind me of Autumn – and as Autumn is my favorite season and it is fast approaching, I am very excited to share these warm, comforting flavors with you!

Grab your chai lattes and scarves, and get ready for a VERSUS!*

*No frogs were harmed in the writing of this blog post. 😉

In today’s match we have Apple Butter vs. FROG Jam – a classic favorite and a new, unique, intriguing blend! Who will come out on top?

The Apple Butter isn’t a stranger to any of us – it’s hard to go wrong with such a delicious and classic staple. Warm, comforting, with a touch of cinnamon, apple butter was one of my favorites growing up and that hasn’t change as an adult.

FROG Jam, on the other hand, is new to me – it promises flavors of Fig, Red Raspberry, Orange, and Ginger. I personally love all of these flavors, and I imagine this jam would go good with some goat cheese.

As yall may or may not know, my favorite way to test out jams and jellies is by spreading them on some plain toast. I popped two slices of white bread into the toaster, burned one, and then got to spreading:

On the left is the FROG Jam, which is slightly see through, thick, and a light orange shade. The Apple butter is looser yet darker in color, very classic texture for an apple butter.

While both were absolutely delicious, I’d say the clear winner is… drum roll please…

APPLE BUTTER!

This is largely due to the fact that the FROG Jam promised me a lot of different flavors and simply didn’t deliver all of them. Had this jam been labelled as fig jam, I’d have been much happier, but I just didn’t taste the raspberry and ginger enough. Because of this, I was disappointed. Will I still eat this FROG Jam? Hell yes, it’s great. Was the Apple Butter better? Also hell yes. 😉

Much love,
Melissa

Jams and Jellies of Cape May, New Jersey

Hi my fellow jam and jelly lovers! 🙂

Even though 2020 is quite different than past years of my life, it is still the summer time. With my vacation days at work building up, I decided to take a week off to enjoy what is left of the summer.

We didn’t have too many options for fun activities given the pandemic, but here in Jersey the summer wouldn’t be complete without a trip down the shore. Thus, we decided to head down to Cape May, New Jersey, one of my favorite beach spots.

Photo credit: https://www.capemay.com/

I didn’t expect to run into so many jams and jellies while on vacation, but surprise surprise, I did! My dad kept telling me “stay out of this aisle, there’s jam here!” to avoid me buying any.

While I didn’t end up purchasing a ton of new jams and jellies (my wallet thanks me), I did take some photos of what I ran into so that I could share here. 🙂

The first jams and jellies I encountered are some really cool sounding ones from the Beef Jerky Outlet over in Washington Street Mall. You can check out their website here: https://www.beefjerkyoutlet.com/cape-may

Photo credit: here

Here, I found Smokey Onion Mustard, Hot Pepper Raspberry Preserves, Blueberry Bourbon Pecan Jam (!!!), and Hot Pepper Bacon Jam.

I was most tempted to buy the Hot Pepper Raspberry Preserves because not only do I love raspberries, but as you know from my past posts, I’m really into spicy jams lately! The Blueberry Bourbon Pecan Jam intrigued me because I am curious if there are pecans in the jam. While the Bacon jam sounds AWESOME, I’m a vegetarian so I had to pass.

Next are some jams from Stonewall Kitchen that I ran into at the Sunset Beach Gift Shop.

Photo credit: https://www.facebook.com/Sunsetbeachgifts/photos/a.10151696715875351/10158609552130351

You can check out Sunset Beach carrying Stonewall Kitchen products here: https://www.facebook.com/Sunsetbeachgifts/posts/we-proudly-carry-stonewall-kitchen-gourmet-food-items-at-sunset-beach-gifts-stop/10157128673565351/ and Stonewall Kitchen here: https://www.stonewallkitchen.com/

So many of these stand out to me, I wanted to buy one of each. Champagne jam … strawberry vanilla … lemonade … spicy chili bacon?!

I also ran into Elki Scandinavian Delights jams at another gift shop, which really tempted me! While I didn’t buy any in person, I might buy some online because I am curious to taste them. You can check out Elki here: https://www.elki.com/store/category/jam-preserves

For over 180 years, Scandinavian Delight spreads from ELKI have been made in exactly the same way, from the same time-honored traditional recipes. The result is a wonderful, truly delicious home-made taste. Starting with choice, ripe fruit and fresh berries, picked wild and by hand whenever possible, these spreads are prepared slowly and gently, without boiling. This allows the fruit and berries to retain more of their natural flavor, color and sweetness and requires substantially less sugar to be added than regular preserves. Large morsels of fruit or whole berries infuse each jar.

https://www.elki.com/store/category/jam-preserves

The two I really wanted to try are the Lingonberry and Boysenberry.

Which of these jams or jellies sound most intriguing to you? Would you have bought any if you were me?

Much love,
Melissa

Most Popular Jams, Jellies, & Preserves

When I think of jams and jellies, the first flavor that comes to mind for me is grape.

Grape jelly is a classic – it never fails to taste delicious when spread in between two pieces of white bread alongside some smooth peanut butter to make the all time great sandwich, the PB&J.

Photo credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanut_butter_and_jelly_sandwich

But just because PB&Js are so popular, does that mean that grape jelly is the most popular fruit preserve in America?

Some other contenders for me are strawberry jam and orange marmalade. These little pre-portioned jellies are a staple on diner tables here in New Jersey.

Photo credit: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/smuckers-concord-grape-jelly-strawberry-jam-orange-marmalade-5-oz-portion-cups-case/125PC0800.html

While I don’t really like grape jelly that much, I started this research assuming it would end up being the most popular flavor in America.

However, I was shocked to find out that it’s not. According to Statista.com, the most popular flavor is actually strawberry, with grape coming in second place!

Photo credit: https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/taste-test-strawberry-jam-article

This data was calculated by Statista with a survey time period of 2011 to 2019 based on “the U.S. Census data and Simmons National Consumer Survey (NHCS).” They found that 163.97 million Americans consumed strawberry preserves in 2019 — that’s a lot of people, and a lot of jam & jelly! (x)

Photo credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7Gsr5_EBvE

Statista won my English major heart by (sorta) quoting Shakespeare: “Strawberry jam or no strawberry jam, that is the question.” (x)

Photo credit: https://theviewfromsarisworld.com/2015/10/14/the-not-quite-nihilistic-question-to-be-or-not-to-be/

Check out this great quote from Statista, which I can’t help but copy and paste in nearly its entirety:

“U.S. households eat mostly strawberry jams, jellies, and preserves, followed by grape flavored ones. But what makes them choose these flavors over raspberry, blackberry, apricot, blueberry, or cherry jam? It is that consumers really prefer strawberry jam, or is it because strawberry and grape jams are dominant on most grocery store shelves? Does it have to do with color or taste? Or maybe people just like strawberries. It might be possible that most strawberries which are cultivated each year end up as jams, jellies and preserves.

Or maybe preference has more to do with the brand and their marketing of strawberry jam, which makes it more appealing to consumers than other types. … it is also very likely that consumer preferences are influenced by advertising.”

https://www.statista.com/statistics/280744/us-households-most-eaten-flavors-of-jams-jellies-and-preserves-trend/

Interestingly, according to fsrmagazine.com, it looks like Statista listed grape as the most popular back in 2017. (x) Does this mean that within the last three years, strawberry beat out grape? What changed in the last three years that made strawberry spike in popularity?

Well, according to tastewise.io, the consumption rate of strawberries is growing at a rate of 42.87% annually. (x)

Photo credit: https://www.goodfon.com/wallpaper/romantic-liubov-heart-love-strawberry-wood-fresh-berries-iag.html

To clarify, popularity doesn’t equate to quality – what jelly and jam we each individually like best has to do with our own personal preferences, and doesn’t coincide with popularity. While strawberry is currently more popular than grape, that doesn’t necessarily mean strawberry is “better” than grape. I mean, to me it is. But I don’t like grape jelly, lol.

Sources and Further Reading:

• https://www.statista.com/statistics/280744/us-households-most-eaten-flavors-of-jams-jellies-and-preserves-trend/
• https://www.fsrmagazine.com/sponsored/what-best-jelly-flavor
• https://www.statista.com/statistics/278148/us-households-most-eaten-types-of-jams-jellies-and-preserves/

Much love,
Melissa

Alaskan Blueberry Jam from Barnacle Foods

Hello my fellow Jelly Lovers! Today let’s talk about this beautiful blueberry jam from Barnacle Foods – all the way from over in Alaska!

Photo credit: https://www.barnaclefoods.com/collections/all/products/jam-wild-blueberry

“Alaska is one of the last untouched places in the world, where ecosystems remain intact, where natural resources are abundant, and where people live with the rhythms of the seasons. Living in Southeast Alaska, we can only access the continental United States by boat or plane. Despite some unique challenges, we’re committed to maintaining our home and business right here.”

https://www.barnaclefoods.com/pages/alaska

Now as I am from New Jersey, it was pretty cool to receive Alaskan jams in the mail from my Mama Jen. She is, as always, my biggest supporter in all my hobbies and interests, sending me all kinds of fun jams and jellies to try out for this blog.

Photo cred: https://www.barnaclefoods.com/pages/about-us

Barnacle Foods is run by Matt and Lia, who you can read more about here and if you’re interested in checking out what they have for sale online, you can head on over here!

Mama Jen went ahead and sent me this Jam and Jelly Sampler, which includes three flavors: Alaskan Blueberry Jam (which we’ll be talking about in today’s blog post), Alaskan Spruce Tip Jelly, and Alaskan Rhubarb Jam. Blog posts on the other two flavors are upcoming. 🙂

Photo credit: https://www.barnaclefoods.com/collections/all/products/jam-and-jelly-sampler

Even though my Mama Jen told me the Spruce Tip Jelly is her favorite, I couldn’t resist digging into the Blueberry Jam first. The beautiful color was calling my name, and I also am just a big fan of berries.

When I popped this jar open, I was immediately taken aback by how gorgeous this shade of jam is! It has that very classic blueberry color, dark indigo at first, but bright burgundy-red when thinned. Most impressive, though, was the amount of whole berries I could see within the jam:

To really allow the jam to speak for itself, I toasted up some plain ol’ white bread and slathered this jam on top. As I expected, this jam is loaded with whole blueberries that left the spread textured and more three dimensional than any other jam I’ve had before. I did, however, need to use about half the jar to get my two slices of toast covered – but I’m not complaining.

I’ve gotta admit, the texture is my favorite thing about this jam. It has bite and body to it because of the whole berries, which makes it a different experience than eating smoother fruit spreads on toast. Berries actually burst in my mouth as I ate it.

While it’s not especially sweet, it still maintains enough sweetness to mellow out the tangy flavor of the blueberries. I wouldn’t say it’s bitter, but I might add on a drizzle of honey next time because I was expecting a little bit more sweetness. What can I say, sometimes I have a bit of a sweet tooth. 😉

If you prefer a smooth spread, this jam probably isn’t for you. For me, I think texture can be fun, but it totally depends on what you’re going for – the same way some people like chunky peanut butter, and others prefer smooth!

Do you prefer your jams and jellies to be on the chunkier side or the smoother side?

Much love,
Melissa