6/25/2015

Summer Jammin'

Our Produce Department is a happenin' place in the summertime.
Right now, we have some of the best peaches and nectarines you will ever eat. The grapes, cherries, strawberries, and blueberries are all wonderful...and all this fruit makes us think of jam!

Canning at home is so satisfying. We carry what you need in terms of jars and pectin, and the rest you can ad-lib with whatever pots and tongs you already have in your kitchen.

For those of us who prefer to forgo the work, and get straight to opening the jars, we also carry some of the best jellies and jams available...from somebody else's kitchen. Here are a few staff picks:

Frog Hollow Farm is a thriving 143-acre organic farm located in Brentwood, and home to hundreds of fruit trees. Their fruit is a favorite at Bay Area Farmer's Markets, and lucky for us, they make some of the best jams and chutneys around.

Mountain Fruit Company's Jams and Jellies are all product by hand in small batches in Chico California. All jams are contain over 77% whole fruit and have half the sugar of other "Low sugar" jams. They are great in all the usual ways, plus in smoothies, tarts, cheesecakes, and as an ingredient in sauces.

Blue Chair Jam--This Oakland gem has reinvented preserving for the modern age through a distinctive combination of traditional methods and modern taste sensibilities. They use organic and sustainably-grown

fruit from local growers.

Blue Chair produces a seemingly endless variety of flavors such as Bergamot Marmalade, Black Mission Fig Jam with Black Sesame, Blackberry-Violette Jam, and Blood Orange-Chestnut Honey Marmalade with Rosemary. Stop by, you never know what will be in our store because--well, we never know exactly what we're getting untill we see their delivery!

Jelly, Marmalade and Jam

Each of these recipes gives a different spin on delicious spreadable treats. Lavender and Lemon Jelly is a classic recipe with a flavorful twist, Red Onion Marmalade goes with savories, and finally, Fresh Strawberry Chia Jam can be prepared in minutes and left to set while you are making breakfast.

Get the Recipes...

The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook

By Rachael Saunders

Not your grandma's jam book!

Blue Chair Fruit: Jam, Jelly & Marmalade approaches the nostalgic preserving kitchen with a modern and sustainable eye. Author Rachel Saunders is the owner of Oakland's artisanal jam producer, Blue Chair Fruit.

In addition to offering more than 100 original jam, jelly, and marmalade recipes, master jam artisan Rachel Saunders shares all of her technical preserving knowledge, as well as her unique jam maker's perspective on fruit.

Sample recipes include Strawberry-Marsala Jam with Rosemary, Italian Lemon Marmalade, and Early Girl Tomato Jam.

This book is a complete tutorial on jammin', with photos, illustrations, recommended equipment and measurements-all presented with exacting precision. Rachel explains every aspect of jam and marmalade making in step-by-step detail. The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook is a one-of-a-kind, must-have resource for home and professional cooks alike.

Plugr� Butter

Culinary Bliss

Plugr� European-Style Butter is crafted with a slow-churned process, giving it a creamier texture. This makes for flakier pastries, unbelievably creamy sauces, enviable risottos, sizzling saut�s, and extraordinary flavored butters.

Plugr� butter contains less water than most butter. Lower moisture helps you create cakes that rise higher, cookies that crisp more evenly, and flakier pastries.

Plugr� is also fantastic on toast, fresh veggies and simple dishes that highlight the butter's flavor.