Blog Posts
Grilled Lemon Pound Cake with Peaches & Cream
Thursday, June 8, 2023
Active Time: 30 mins, Total Time: 5 hrs, Yield: 10
Ingredients:
2 cups cake flour
¼ cup finely grated lemon zest (from 3 lemons)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
6 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup whole milk
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup Peach Preserves
Vegetable oil, for brushing
4 large peaches, sliced into ½-inch wedges
Lightly sweetened whipped cream
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray a 9 ½ by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour with the lemon zest, baking powder and salt.
In a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. At low speed, beat in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Beat in 1/8 cup of the Peach Preserves, the milk, lemon juice, and vanilla, scraping down the side of the bowl as necessary.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the cake cool for 20 minutes. Unmold the cake and let cool completely, about 3 hours.
Light a grill. Using a serrated knife, cut the pound cake into 10 slices. Lightly oil the grate and grill the slices over moderate heat, turning once, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to plates. Lightly oil the grate again. Grill the peaches over moderately high heat until lightly browned and tender, about 2 minutes. Spoon the peaches over the cake, top with Peach Preserves, dollop with whipped cream, and serve.
Icy Lemon-Ginger Vodka Cocktails
Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Total Time: 20 mins, Yield: 8 drinks
These slushy, potent cocktails are easy to make in batches. They're also ideal for parties because most of the preparation can be done in advance.
Ingredients:
½ cup of Ginger Zucchini Marmalade
2 cups water
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 cup fresh lemon juice
8 cups crushed ice
2 cups vodka
8 mint sprigs, for garnish
Directions:
In a small saucepan, combine the Ginger Zucchini Marmalade with the water and melt over moderate heat. Transfer to a blender and puree. Strain the syrup into a large, shallow glass dish. Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Cover and freeze the lemon-Ginger Zucchini Marmalade syrup until firm, at least 4 hours.
Let the frozen lemon-Ginger Zucchini Marmalade mixture stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Chop the mixture into large pieces. Put half of the pieces in a blender, add 4 cups of crushed ice and 1 cup of vodka, and blend until slushy. Pour the vodka cocktail into 4 glasses, garnish each with a mint sprig, and serve. Repeat with the remaining frozen lemon mixture, ice, vodka, and mint sprigs. Serve at once.
Make Ahead: The lemon-Ginger Zucchini Marmalade mixture can be frozen for up to 1 week.
Preserving Traditions: Exploring Different Preserve Types & Techniques
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
~3 Minutes Reading Time
12 Different Types of Preserves
Preserves come in various forms, each with its own unique characteristics and flavors. Understanding the distinctions between these delicious spreads can help you choose the perfect one for your palate. Here are the different types of preserves:
Jams: Jams are thick and firm fruit spreads made by combining chopped fruits, sugar, and pectin. Unlike jelly, jams retain the pulp, seeds, and skins of the fruit. There are two common methods of making jams: a long, slow cooking process to concentrate the fruit and sugar, or a shorter cook time with added natural fruit pectin. Jams made with pectin are brighter in color and generally more flavorful. They have a gel-like consistency and can be made with various fruits.
Chutneys: Chutneys originated in India and are relishes made from a combination of fruits, spices, herbs, sugar, and vinegar. While Indian chutneys encompass a wide range of ingredients, the fruit chutneys popular in the US are influenced by British-Indian traditions and often contain vinegar. They are made by reducing fruit, sugar, and vinegar into a thick paste and can be enhanced with ingredients like garlic, onions, raisins, or tamarind. The choice of fruits for chutneys is diverse, including mango, apple, pear, peach, cranberry, dried fruits, and citrus.
Mostardas: Mostardas are Northern Italian fruit sauces with a touch of mustard that traditionally accompany meat dishes. To make mostardas, the liquid released from fruits like apples, pears, or figs is heavily reduced. The fruit is then cooked in this liquid and mixed with mustard powder and sometimes white wine. Mostardas are flavorful condiments that pair well with breakfast foods, cheeses, or as a delightful addition to a ham and biscuit sandwich. They can even be enjoyed by adding a dollop to yogurt.
Compotes: Compotes consist of whole fruits or large pieces of fruit cooked with sugar until the fruit retains its shape. The cooking process is brief, resulting in a sweet fruit mixture that can be enjoyed on its own or paired with whipped cream as a dessert. Think of compotes as a sweet fruit soup with a slightly looser consistency, especially when prepared with less sugar.
Conserves: Conserves are thick, flavorful spreads made by stewing a combination of two or more fruits with sugar. They can be firmer than jams and often include ingredients like nuts, raisins, dried fruit pieces, or coconut. Similar to old-fashioned jams, conserves are cooked to the gelling point, resulting in a thick consistency.
Preserves: Preserves are typically less firm than jams and made with small, whole fruits or small fruit chunks mixed with sugar. The texture of preserves can vary, ranging from a thin, honey-like consistency to a soft jelly. True preserves do not retain their shape when spooned onto a plate and are often chunky. The term "preserves" is often used as an umbrella term to refer to various types of fruit spreads and preserved products.
Jellies: Jellies are bright, shiny, translucent fruit spreads made from the juice of the fruit and sugar. Unlike jams, only the juice of the fruit is used, and the solids are strained out. Jellies have a firm texture that resembles "Jell-O" and can be made from fruit juice, sugar, and pectin. They spread evenly and are often made from a variety of fruits.
Marmalades: Marmalades are fruit spreads that include the peel of the fruit. They are typically made from citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons, boiled with sugar and water. Marmalades have a sweet and tart flavor profile and a consistency similar to jams. While citrus fruits are most commonly used, marmalades can also be made from exotic fruits like pineapple, mango, kumquat, or prickly pear. The inclusion of the fruit peel gives marmalades a slightly bitter edge and a more sophisticated flavor.
Fruit Butters: Fruit butters are smooth and finely pureed fruit spreads that contain no dairy products or actual butter. They are made by cooking fruit pulp with sugar and spices over low heat for an extended period. Fruit butters, such as apple butter, have a thick texture similar to applesauce but with concentrated flavors. They are less sweet than other fruit preserves due to a lower sugar content.
Confits: Confits are fruits that are seasoned and cooked with honey or sugar until they reach a jam-like consistency. Savory confits may also incorporate ingredients like garlic or fennel, with a savory oil such as virgin olive oil used as the preserving agent.
Konfyts: Konfyts are a type of jam eaten in Southern Africa. They are made by boiling fruit, sugar, and adding a hint of ginger.
Fruit Spreads: The term "fruit spreads" is a generic term that encompasses jellies, jams, and fruit butters. It refers to various fruit-based spreads used to enhance the flavor of bread, pastries, and other foods.
By understanding the characteristics of each type of preserve, you can explore a wide range of flavors & textures to find your personal favorites. Whether you prefer the chunkiness of preserves or the firmness of jellies, there's a delightful preserve waiting for you!
Eggplant Cinnamon Jam and Walnut Rugelach with Tahini Glaze
Monday, May 15, 2023
Active Time: 1 hrs 30 mins, Total Time: 6 hrs 25 mins, Yield: 36 cookies
Ingredients:
Dough
2 cups (about 8 1/2 ounces) of all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface and hands
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (8 ounces) pkg. cream cheese, softened 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
Eggplant and Walnut Filling
2 cups walnuts, toasted (about 7 ounces)
2 cups Eggplant Cinnamon Jam
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
Additional Ingredients
6 tablespoons date syrup, divided (see Note)
1 large egg, beaten
3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
Tahini Glaze
2 tablespoons tahini (ground sesame seeds)
2 tablespoons boiling water, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon), plus more as needed
1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) of powdered sugar, sifted and divided
Directions:
Prepare the Dough: Whisk together flour, salt, cardamom, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; set aside. Beat cream cheese and butter with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce mixer speed to low; add one-third flour mixture. Beat on low speed until the flour mixture is incorporated, about 20 seconds. Repeat the process twice with the remaining flour mixture, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until Dough is as smooth as possible, about 1 minute. If necessary, knead Dough in a bowl until it comes together.
Roll Dough into a thick log on a well-floured surface using floured hands. Cut into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball; flatten it into a circular disk. Wrap disks separately in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
Prepare the Eggplant Cinnamon and Walnut Filling: Process walnuts, Eggplant Cinnamon Jam, cardamom, and lemon zest in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped but not a paste, 20 to 30 seconds, stopping to scrape down sides of the bowl as needed. If needed add up to 1/2 a cup of date syrup, and process to combine, 5 to 10 seconds. Transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Assemble the rugelach: Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working in 3 batches, remove 1 pastry disk from the refrigerator. Place the disk on a floured surface, and sprinkle the dough with flour. Roll Dough into an 11-inch round, lifting and moving Dough as you roll to prevent sticking. (It’s fine if the round is a little rough around the edges.)
Brush the Dough with 2 tablespoons of date syrup. Using a dough cutter or the back of a knife, cut the dough round into 12 equal triangles. Take one-third of the Filling out of the refrigerator. Spoon 1 tablespoon of Filling onto each triangle, spreading and leaving about an 1/8-inch border at the ends and edges of the triangle. Starting from the wide end of each triangle, roll up each piece to the point; place on a prepared baking sheet, point side down. Chill rolled cookies until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly brush the top of each cookie with beaten egg, and sprinkle cookies evenly with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bake in preheated oven until tops are golden and bottoms are browned, 25 to 28 minutes, rotating the baking sheet from front to back after 10 minutes of baking. Check cookie bottoms after 20 minutes of baking, and if necessary, place the baking sheet on top of another baking sheet to slow browning. Carefully transfer cookies and parchment paper to a wire rack, and let cool completely, for about 1 hour. Baked cookies may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
Prepare the Tahini Glaze: Whisk together tahini, boiling water, lemon juice, and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar until the glaze is very thick. (Glaze should not be runny but still thin enough to be drizzled off the tines of a fork.) Add additional boiling water or powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed for desired consistency.
Using a fork, drizzle glaze evenly over cooled cookies. Let glaze dry at room temperature, for 1 to 2 hours. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, separating layers with wax paper or parchment paper.
Notes: If date syrup is not available, substitute 2 tablespoons honey and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
If the dough has chilled for more than a few hours, test to see if it will crack when rolled out. If it cracks, let the dough stand for 10 to 20 minutes until it can be smoothly rolled out. Do not let the dough warm up to room temperature.
To Make Ahead: Dough and walnut Eggplant Cinnamon filling may be made 1 day ahead of time. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and place the filling in an airtight container; store in the refrigerator. Tahini glaze can be made 1 day in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. Let glaze come to room temperature, and stir well, adding boiling water by the teaspoon as needed for desired consistency.
13 Cheese & Preserve Pairings
Sunday, May 7, 2023
Eggplant Cinnamon Jam & Sharp Blue Cheese, Grana Cheese, or Manchego Viejo
Sweet with a bit of spice to it works best with sharp blue cheese (Roquefort, Cabrales, Gorgonzola Piccante) & mature hard cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano or Manchego Viejo.
Stone Fruit Jam & Grana Cheese or Mild Blue Cheese
Sweet & ripe flavors work great with complex & robust flavors. Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, & Grana Padano are all excellent options to pair with it. Blue cheese is another suitable pairing, but milder varieties like Gorgonzola Dolce, Danablu, or Blue Stilton would work best.
Bushel of Apple Jelly & Gruyere, Asiago, or Fontina
Sweet but with a noticeable tarn underline that works best with cheese that bridge the gap between mellow & sharp. Gruyere, Asiago (d’Allevo or Mezzano), or Fontina’s nutty & savory flavors with strong sweet undertones work great.
Cranberry, Apple, and Orange Marmalade & Brie, Camembert, or Chevre
Baked Brie & Camembert with cranberries is a classic at this point - & for a good reason! The tartness of cranberry goes best with mellow but robust & creamy flavors, & these French soft cheese varieties are the best examples. Chevre, the soft & young goat cheese, is another excellent option.
Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly & Grana Cheese, Gruyere, Asiago (Vecchio or Stravecchio), or Manchego Viejo
Cherry is another tricky option: while it’s tangy and, according to the classic formula, should be paired with mellow cheese, most cheese experts prefer pairing it with robust, sharp cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, & other hard, aged cheese. We’d say it’s more of a “jack of all trades” that can be used either way, but if you’re a fan of tangy flavors & aren’t really into sweeter jams, cherry is the exact balance of sweet-and-tangy to keep on hand.
Curried Tomato Marmalade & Mozzarella, Scamorza Bianca, or Provolone
Sweet but a touch sour (think sun-dried tomatoes if you’ve yet to try it) & pairs best with creamy, milky, mild cheese varieties. Mozzarella, Strachiattella, & Scamorza Bianca will all work great with a dollop of tomato jam on a slice. If you’re a fan of bolder flavors, try it with Provolone Dolce (young Provolone, aged less than three months), a cheese reminiscent of Mozzarella but richer & butterier.
Plum & Gin Preserves & Mild Blue Cheese, Smoked Scamorza, or Smoked Gouda
Sweet with a slight tartness that only adds to the flavor depth, it’s an excellent pairing for milder blue cheese varieties like Gorgonzola Dolce & Danablu, as well as smoked cheese, particularly smoked Scamorza & Gouda, highlighting the smokiness rather than overpowering it.
Citrus Marmalades (Orange, Lemon, Key Lime, & Grapefruit) & Gouda, Taleggio, or Emmental
Citrus marmalades can be somewhat more challenging to pair. You need a cheese that’s not too mellow & won’t get overpowered by the zest & tang from the citrus, but also isn’t too sharp or salty because it will just amplify the bite from the zest instead of accentuating the sweeter tones, which is the cheese’s job in this pairing. Classic rich & buttery, but not overly sharp, Gouda, Taleggio, or Emmental all work for this combo.
Blueberry Jam & Manchego (Semicurado or Curado), Stilton, or Parmigiano Reggiano
Blueberry jam is a veritable chameleon. It’s sweet but slightly tangy, has a great well-balanced flavor profile, & goes well with most moderately aged to old cheese. The best are the ones with a slight bite but not overt sharpness. Manchego aged around 4-6 months or classic Stilton are the most optimal options, but put a dollop on something sharper like Parmigiano Reggiano, & it’ll still work fine.
Strawberry Margarita Preserves & Cheddar, Gouda, or Emmental
This pairing is all about classic flavors. It’s as classic as it gets, & Cheddar, Gouda, & Emmental are as close to “classic” cheese flavor as it gets. Strawberry tends to be on the sweeter side, so I’d advise avoiding milder cheese varieties, but if you want to go a bit bolder, try it with Moliterno, Manchego, or Gruyere.
Apple Hot Pepper Jelly & Ricotta, Provolone, Mozzarella, or Cream Cheese
It’s tricky in that you need something to douse the spiciness with. So, the nigh-universal formula of “balance sweetness with robustness” doesn’t really work since the sweetness is playing second fiddle to spiciness in this case. The “go with mellow when it’s zesty & tangy” formula has a higher chance of working, but there’s a chance that the spice will “swallow” more delicate flavors like brie or Camembert will get “swallowed up.” The ideal solution, in this case, would be mild & creamy cheese like ricotta, Mozzarella, or classic cream cheese, with Provolone or Scamorza Bianca as options with flavors a tiny bit stronger.
Peach Chutney & Blue Cheese, Sharp Cheddar, or Moliterno
It’s another highly sweet option that goes well with sharp, aged cheese. Stronger blue cheese like Roquefort or Gorgonzola is an ideal pairing for this one, but if blue cheese just isn’t for you, look for savory options with a well-pronounced nuttiness like Cheddar or Moliterno.
Blackberry Jam & Camembert, Chevre, Taleggio, or Mild Blue Cheese
It’s sweet but tangy, with a bit of a bite. It’s the classic option of a jam that goes best with milder, softer cheese like Camembert or Taleggio or milder, sweeter moldy cheese like Blue Stilton.
Slow Cooker Root Beer BBQ Pork Ribs
Saturday, April 29, 2023
Serves: 4, Prep Time: 10 Minutes, Cook Time: 6 Hours, Total Time: 6 Hours, 10 Minutes
Ingredients:
3 pounds of pork side ribs (about 2 racks of ribs)
12-ounces of Root BeerJelly
2 cups prepared barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
Remove silver skin from the back of the ribs. This can be done by pushing the back of a spoon just underneath it and then working it up and off the ribs with your fingers.
Sprinkle the ribs generously with salt and pepper; place them in a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the Root BeerJelly over the top.
Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or on high for 3 hours.
Remove ribs from the slow cooker, setting them aside on a plate. Discard liquid from the slow cooker.
Place the ribs back inside, along with the barbecue sauce. Be sure to coat the ribs in the sauce. Cook on high for another 1 hour.
Gently remove from the slow cooker and serve with sauce.
Pro tip: For charred bits that will add a smoky flavor and make it seem as though the ribs came fresh off the grill, brush the ribs with sauce and place them under the broiler for just a few minutes instead of placing them back into the slow cooker.
Pesto-and-Cheese-Stuffed Brioche Scrolls with Bacon-Tomato Jam
Friday, April 21, 2023
Ingredients:
3 ½ cups bread flour (~14 7/8 oz)
1 cup whole-wheat flour (~4 oz)
¾ cup whole milk
4 large eggs
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 ¼ tea fine sea salt
1 (¼-oz) envelope of instant yeast or quick-rising yeast (such as Fleischmann’s RapidRise)
1 cup unsalted butter (8 oz), cut into ½-in pieces & chilled
Cooking spray
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 (7-oz) jar of basil pesto (such as Rana) or 1 cup of homemade pesto
~5 oz of Curried Tomato Marmalade
~5 oz of Bourbon Bacon Jam
1 ½ oz Asiago cheese, finely shredded (~2/3 cup), plus more for garnish (optional)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Small fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Directions:
Make the brioche dough base: Beat bread flour, whole-wheat flour, milk, & eggs with a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 1 min. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, & refrigerate for 30 mins.
Return chilled dough to bowl to stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add sugar, salt, & yeast to the dough, & beat on low speed until just combined, about 2 mins. Add butter, & beat until just incorporated, about 1 min. Increase mixer speed to medium-high, & beat until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl & is glossy & elastic, 8 to 10 mins. (Dough will be very sticky.) Transfer dough to a lightly greased (with cooking spray) large bowl, & cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature until slightly risen, 1 hr to 1.5 hrs. Transfer to refrigerator, & chill for at least 8 hrs or up to 16 hrs.
Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Turn the brioche dough base out onto a lightly floured work surface, & roll it into a 13- x 20-in rectangle (about ¼ in thick). Spread pesto evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-in border along one short edge; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Roll the dough up toward a ½-in border to create a log (being careful not to roll too tightly); cut crosswise into about 12 (1½-in-thick) rounds, tucking ends of dough underneath each round. Arrange rounds evenly on prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 to 3 in between rounds. Cover loosely with lightly greased (with cooking spray) plastic wrap, & let stand at room temperature until dough is doubled in volume & soft to the touch, about 2 hrs. Preheat oven to 325°F with racks in top third & bottom third positions during the final 20 mins of the dough proofing time.
Uncover proofed scrolls, & gently brush with lightly beaten egg. Bake in preheated oven until scrolls are golden brown, 20 to 25 mins, rotating baking sheets from front to back & between the top & bottom racks halfway through baking time. Immediately top each scroll with about 1 ½ tbsp of combined Curried Tomato Marmalade & Bourbon Bacon Jam. Garnish with basil & additional Asiago cheese, if desired. Transfer scrolls to a wire rack, & let cool slightly, about 10 mins. Serve warm.
Make Ahead: Brioche dough base can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 16 hrs.
Note: Scrolls are best served warm. To reheat, warm at 300°F for 5 mins before topping with bacon jam & garnishing.
Stone Fruit and Cheese Pasteles
Thursday, April 13, 2023
Active Time: 1 hrs, Total Time: 8 hrs, Servings: 8
Ingredients:
1 cup (8 ounces) butter, softened
2 ¼ cups (300 grams) of all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup water
1 egg beaten, for egg wash
8 tablespoons whipped cream cheese
8 tablespoons Stone Fruit Jam
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling, optional
Directions:
Place butter on a 9x13-inch sheet of parchment paper and top with another sheet of parchment. Roll or press the butter into a rectangle about 12 by 6 inches. Place parchment-covered butter on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, stir flour, salt, and water in a medium bowl until it forms a smooth ball, or mix in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add a few drops of water to bring the dough together if needed, or a dusting of flour if the dough is too sticky; it will vary depending on the humidity among other factors. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
Roll dough into a 12x6-inch rectangle on a lightly floured work surface. Remove parchment paper from the butter and arrange butter in the center of the dough so the short side of the butter meets the edges of the short side of the dough. Fold flaps of dough over butter; pinch edges or smack with a rolling pin to seal butter completely. Gently roll the dough lengthwise to 12 inches long. Fold the dough into thirds, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate. Repeat the process of rolling, folding, and refrigerating 5 more times, rolling out the dough smooth-side up. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll dough to a 12x12-inch rectangle, trimming edges if needed. Cut into 4 strips, each measuring about 3 inches across. Cut each strip crosswise into 4 equal pieces to make sixteen 3x3-inch squares. Refrigerate dough squares until ready to use. Brush the edges of 8 squares with egg wash. Place 1 tablespoon cream cheese and 1 tablespoon Stone Fruit Jam in the center of each square. Top with remaining pastry squares and press edges together. Using the tines of a fork, press the edges firmly to seal. (If fork sticks to pastry, dip tines in flour.) Using a small sharp knife, cut an X on top of each pastry. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spacing evenly apart, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Cover and refrigerate egg wash.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush pastries with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar, if using. Bake pastries until puffed, crispy, and golden brown, about 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Let cool for about 30 minutes before eating.
Champagne Glazed Ham
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Great for Christmas or Easter, this ham is so simple to make and has a great glaze made with our Champagne Jelly.
Makes: 18 servings, Active Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 3 hours
Ingredients:
6 pounds semi-boneless smoked ham half
5 oz of Champagne Jelly
1 tablespoon Apple Cider Jelly
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a greased 13x9-inch baking pan, place the ham face down. Using a knife, make 1-inch diagonal slices (about ¼-inch deep) crisscross along the ham creating a diamond pattern. Cover with foil and bake for 1½ hours.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine Champagne Jelly and Apple Cider Jelly. Microwave on HIGH for 20-30 seconds. Remove the foil from the ham.
Baste the ham with the jelly mixture. Continue baking it uncovered for 30 minutes.
Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Baste and continue baking for 30-45 minutes, basting every 15 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 145°F on an instant-read food thermometer and the outside of the ham is nicely browned.
Remove from oven, cover with foil, and let stand 15-20 minutes before slices.
Cheddar Cheese Coins
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Ingredients:
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/8 ounces)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 ounces), chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons water
Directions:
Process cheese, flour, cornstarch, mustard, salt, and cayenne in a food processor until the mixture is well combined and forms small beads, about 30 seconds. Add butter in 3 additions, pulsing 5 to 6 times after each addition, until the mixture is the texture of wet sand, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. With the processor running, pour 3 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, through the food chute, processing just until the dough comes together in a mass, 20 to 25 seconds. (Be sure to stop processing once dough forms — you can continue to knead the cheese mixture into a ball on a clean work surface if you’re unsure. It is important not to work it to death.)
Divide dough in half; roll each half into a 9- to 10-inch log on a clean work surface. Wrap logs tightly in plastic wrap. Transfer dough logs to refrigerator; chill until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
Preheat oven to 375°F with racks in middle and lower third positions. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Unwrap 1 dough log; slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick coins to yield about 30 coins, and arrange about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
Bake in preheated oven until the centers of cheese coins are set but not crisp and the edges and bottom sides of the coins are golden brown and crisp, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheets between middle and bottom racks halfway through the baking time. Remove cheese coins from the oven, and transfer them to a wire rack. Let cool completely, about 15 minutes. (Cheese coins will continue to crisp as they cool.)
Line baking sheets with fresh parchment paper, and repeat steps 4 and 5 with the remaining dough log. Serve immediately.
Make Ahead: Cheese coin logs can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 1 month. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight (12 hours) before slicing and baking. Baked coins may be stored in an airtight container with 1 bread slice (to help keep coins from going stale) at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Variations:
Green Chile and Cornmeal Coins:
In step 1, prepare the recipe as directed, substituting cornstarch with 2 tablespoons fine yellow cornmeal and dry mustard with 1 tablespoon Hatch green chile powder (such as Desert Provisions). When adding water to the butter mixture, add 1 teaspoon of Habanero Jelly with the first addition of water. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
Benne and Black Pepper Coins
Heat 1 tablespoon of benne seeds and 2 teaspoons of black pepper in a cast-iron skillet over medium, shaking skillet occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add seed mixture to cheese mixture with the first addition of butter in step 1.
In step 4, roll each unsliced dough log in 1/4 cup benne seeds to coat. Proceed with the recipe.
Bacon-Cheddar Cheese Coins
In step 1, reduce the salt amount to 1/2 teaspoon and add 3 to 4 tablespoons of Bourbon Bacon Jam to the cheese mixture with the first addition of butter. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
Monkey Butter Challah Fritters with Sweet Tahini Sauce
Monday, March 20, 2023
Active Time: 55 mins, Total Time: 55 mins, Servings: 12
Ingredients:
Fritters:
1 (1 pound) challah bread loaf
4 large eggs, beaten
1 3/4 cups Monkey Butter
1 cup whole milk or unsweetened nondairy milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Sauce:
1/2 cup tahini (ground sesame seeds)
3 to 4 tablespoons light agave syrup, as needed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold water, plus more as needed
Additional Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable oil
2 tablespoons silan (date honey) (optional)
Powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar (optional)
Warmed chocolate sauce (optional)
Directions:
Prepare the Fritters: Tear challah into 1/4-inch pieces, and place in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs, Monkey Butter, milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt in a separate large bowl. Add challah pieces, stirring until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until the bread soaks up all liquid and combines with Monkey Butter, 10 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the Sauce: Whisk together tahini, agave (as needed), lemon juice, and salt in a medium bowl until very smooth (mixture will seize up but loosen as you continue to stir). Whisk in water, 1 tablespoon at a time as needed, until Sauce is thick but pourable; set aside.
Pour oil into a 10-inch-wide Dutch oven or heavy pot; heat over medium-high to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet using paper towels.
While the oil is heating, stir the fritter mixture well until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. For each Fritter, roll about 1 tablespoon of batter into a ball using your hands. Press firmly together; roll again, squeezing into a firm ball, about 1 inch in diameter. Transfer to 2 large baking sheets.
Using a spider, place dough balls in hot oil. Fry 8 at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the Dutch oven, until the bottoms of the Fritters are dark golden brown, about 2 minutes total, flipping Fritters halfway through frying time using a slotted metal spoon or tongs. (Adjust heat as needed to maintain temperature and prevent burning.) Transfer the Fritters to the prepared baking sheet. Let the oil return to temperature between batches. (If desired, keep Fritters warm in a 250°F oven on an ungreased baking sheet.)
Transfer Sauce to a dish, and drizzle with silan (if using). If desired, sprinkle Fritters with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar; serve with Sauce and, if desired, warm chocolate sauce.
Make in Advance: Fritters may be made up to 1 day in advance; store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Place in a 250°F oven until heated through before serving. The Sweet Tahini Sauce may be made up to 2 days in advance without silan; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Orange-Cardamom Marmalade Morning Buns
Sunday, March 12, 2023
Active Time: 45 mins, Chill Time: 8 hrs, Total Time: 10 hrs 20 mins, Servings: 12
Ingredients:
Dough
3/4 cup (6 ½ ounces) whole milk
1 teaspoon honey
1 (¼-ounce) envelope of active dry yeast (about 2 ¼ teaspoons)
4 ¼ cups (about 18 ounces) of all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface and as needed
½ cup (3 ½ ounces) granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
Filling
½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter
½ cup (4 ounces) Orange Cinnamon Marmalade
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
Directions:
Prepare the Dough: Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium-low until just warm (105°F to 110°F), about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; stir in honey. Stir in yeast; let stand until yeast is dissolved and mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir the mixture until no clumps remain.
Beat flour, sugar, and salt with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add butter cubes a few at a time, beating on low speed until cubes are broken down into pea-sized pieces, about 2 minutes per addition. Remove the paddle attachment from the mixer; attach the dough hook attachment. With a stand mixer running on low speed, drizzle in milk mixture, eggs, and vanilla; beat until combined, about 1 minute. Increase mixer speed to medium; beat until a soft, smooth, shiny dough forms, 10 to 15 minutes. If Dough remains too sticky, beat in additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface, and shape it into a ball. Transfer dough to a bowl coated with cooking spray, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 20 hours.
Prepare the Filling: Cook butter, Orange Cinnamon Marmalade, and cardamom in a small saucepan over medium, stirring often, until it is melted, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from heat; stir the mixture until smooth. Let cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
Coat a 13- x -9-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Place on a lightly floured work surface, and roll into a 16- x 12-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick, with 1 long edge of Dough facing you.
Brush half of the Filling over the surface of the Dough. Starting with the long edge nearest to you, roll the dough up into a log, using a bench scraper to help move the Dough if necessary (Dough will be soft and somewhat sticky). Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the dough evenly into 12 pieces (about 1 1/4 inches wide). Transfer each piece of Dough to the prepared baking dish. Cover baking dish with plastic wrap, and let buns rise until puffy and almost doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Remove plastic wrap. Transfer the buns to a preheated oven. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove the buns from the oven, and immediately brush the remaining Filling on top. Let buns cool to just warm, about 10 minutes. Serve.
Skewered Shrimp and Ham with Apple Jelly
Saturday, March 4, 2023
Total Time: 50 mins, Yield: 45 pieces
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Apple Hot Pepper Jelly, heated just until melted
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for grilling
3 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 pounds large shrimp—shelled, deveined, and butterflied, tails left on
3/4 pound ham, sliced 1/2 inch thick and cut into forty-five 1-inch pieces
Salt
3/4 cup Bushel of Apple Jelly
1/4 cup apple juice
1 serrano chile, minced
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the melted Apple Hot Pepper Jelly with the 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and the thyme and parsley. Add the shrimp and toss well to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Remove the shrimp from the marinade, wiping off some of the excesses. Lay a piece of ham in the curl of a shrimp. Wrap the shrimp around the ham and secure it with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining ham and shrimp. Season very lightly with salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk the Bushel of Apple Jelly with the apple juice and chile. Transfer half of the Bushel of Apple Jelly glaze to a small serving bowl and set aside.
Light a grill or preheat a grill pan and lightly brush with oil. Grill the shrimp over moderately high heat, basting several times with the remaining Bushel of Apple Jelly glaze, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Discard the Bushel of Apple Jelly glaze used for basting. Drizzle the grilled shrimp with a spoonful of the reserved Bushel of Apple Jelly glaze and serve, passing any remaining glaze for dipping.
Cherry Cheesecake Dip
Friday, February 24, 2023
Total Time: 5 minutes, Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients:
8-ounce cream cheese, softened
1 cup Greek yogurt
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
10-ounce non-dairy whipped topping
21-ounce jar of Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly
Instructions:
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until softened.
Mix in Greek yogurt and sweetened condensed milk until combined.
Fold in whipped topping just until combined.
Spread into a dish.
Top with the Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly.
Chill until ready to serve.
Serve with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, pretzels, or other desired dippers.
Sacher Torte Cookies
Thursday, February 16, 2023
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min., Bake: 15 min./batch + cooling, YIELD: about 2-1/2 dozen.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 package (3.9 ounces) of instant chocolate pudding mix
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Stone Fruit Jam
GLAZE:
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons shortening
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°. Cream butter and pudding mix until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg. Add flour; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Shape dough into 1-1/4-in. balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Using a wooden spoon handle or your thumb, press a deep indentation in the center of each.
Bake until set, 15-18 minutes. Cool in pans for 2 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Fill each indentation with Stone Fruit Jam; cool completely.
For the glaze, melt chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Drizzle over cookies. Cool completely.
Cherry Bakewell Cookies
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
YIELDS: 24, PREP TIME: 15 mins, TOTAL TIME: 2.5 hours
Ingredients:
COOKIES-
2 c. (190 g.) blanched almond flour
1/2 c. (60 g.) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 c. (170 g.) powdered sugar
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 oz. (55 g.) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp. almond extract
1/4 c. Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly
3/4 c. sliced almonds
ICING-
1/2 c. (55 g.) powdered sugar
4 tsp. whole milk
Directions:
COOKIES
In a small bowl, whisk almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to combine. In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl using an electric mixer), beat powdered sugar, butter, and cream cheese on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add egg, egg yolk, and almond extract and beat to combine. Add one-third of the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Repeat in 2 batches with remaining dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until dough is firm to the touch, about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats. Freeze baking sheets for 15 minutes.
Using a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons), portion the dough into 24 balls. Using a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon or small spoon, make a small well on top of each ball. Fill well with 1/2 teaspoon of Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly. Press 9 to 10 almonds around the outside of each ball, then arrange them on prepared sheets.
Bake until edges are golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheets.
ICING: In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar and milk until combined.
6. Using a spoon or a small squeeze bottle, drizzle icing on top of the cooled cookies.
Pineapple Star Cookies
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 25 min. + chilling, Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling, YIELD: 2 dozen.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 package (8 ounces) of cream cheese, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Pineapple Rum Jam
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add the flour and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until easy to handle, about 2 hours.
Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 3-in. squares. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
To form a star, make a 1-1/4-in. cut from each corner toward the center (do not cut through the center). Place 1/2 teaspoon of the Pineapple Rum Jam in the center of each. Fold every other point toward the center, overlapping pieces; press lightly to seal.
Bake at 375° until set, 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.
For frosting, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle over cookies; sprinkle with walnuts.
Austrian Nut Cookies
Monday, January 23, 2023
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. + chilling, Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling, YIELD: 10 sandwich cookies.
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup finely chopped almonds
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly
FROSTING:
1-ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Slivered almonds, optional
Directions:
In a bowl, combine flour, chopped almonds, and sugar. Mix in butter until the dough is just combined. On a floured surface, roll the dough to 3/8-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-in. round cutter and place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Uncover and bake at 375° for 7-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Spread the Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly on half of the cookies; top with another cookie.
For frosting, combine chocolate, confectioners' sugar, and butter. Spread on tops of cookies. Decorate with slivered almonds if desired.
Marmalade Thumbprint Cookies
Sunday, January 15, 2023
Time: About 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
-1/2 lb unsalted butter, 2 sticks
-2/3 cup granulated sugar
-2 large egg yolks
-The seeds from 1 vanilla bean, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-1/2 cup Orange Cinnamon Marmalade
-2/3 cup confectioners sugar
-milk or cream to thin
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cream the butter & the sugar together until fluffy.
Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, & the vanilla bean seeds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to get everything well incorporated.
Blend in the flour, slowly, & mix until the dough comes together.
Wrap the dough well & refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375F
Use a small scoop to portion out tablespoon-sized balls of dough & roll them into balls. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.
Press an indent in the center of each ball of dough with the back of a 1/4-inch teaspoon. Fill the indents with 1/2 tsp of Orange Cinnamon Marmalade. It's ok to mound the Orange Cinnamon Marmalade a bit.
Bake for about 8 minutes until the cookies are set, but not browned.
Let them cool for 5 minutes in the pan, & then remove them to a rack to cool completely.
Whisk the sugar with enough milk or cream to make a glaze & drizzle over the cooled cookies.
Risalamande - Danish Rice Pudding
Saturday, January 7, 2023
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes, Servings: 8
The tradition is to serve all of the rice pudding and whoever gets the whole almond wins a prize. If you're the one who finds the almond you're supposed to tuck it in your cheek or hide it so no one knows it's been found. That way everyone is forced to eat all the rice pudding in the entire house thinking the almond might still be available to be found.
Ingredients:
1 cup white rice (long grain or arborio)
6 cups whole milk
¼ cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1 cup almonds (chopped, blanched)
1 almond (whole)
1.5 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoon sugar
1 bean vanilla
Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly
Instructions:
Add rice, milk, sugar, and a pinch of salt to the pot and heat until small bubbles start to form around the edge of the pot. Stir occasionally.
Once bubbles form, cover the pot with a lid and simmer for about 1 hour until the rice is soft.
Remove from heat and add in chopped almonds and 1 whole almond. Allow it to cool.
Whip 1.5 cups of whipping cream. Once it starts to thicken, add the sugar.
Once whipped, gently stir in the seeds from one whole vanilla bean.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the rice pudding. Serve in bowls or cups, topped with the warm Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly.
Note: If you simmer your rice and milk mixture too long it'll get very stiff and solid after it has cooled. This is normal, just add a bit of milk to loosen it up if you want, but the whipping cream will do all the loosening you need really. This is all done to taste. If you like a sweeter rice pudding, add more sugar. Ditto for the Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly.
Pull Apart Baked Cranberry Brie Bread Bowl
Friday, December 30, 2022
Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 25 minutes, Servings: 6
Ingredients:
1 bread boule round loaf of rustic bread
1 wheel of brie about 12 ounces, top of rind removed (use triple cream if you can)
1/2 cup Cranberry, Orange, and Apple Preserves
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Slice the top quarter off of the bread. Use the brie wheel to measure a circle in the middle of the bread. Use a knife to trace a circle around it, then scoop out the middle of the bread.
Cut slices around the edge of the bread about 1.5 inches apart - cut about 3/4 of the way, but not all the way through the bottom. This will create pull-apart pieces for people to pull and dip after the bread is done.
Brush the inside of the bread with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half of the thyme. Place the brie wheel in the hollowed-out center. Sprinkle the rest of the thyme over the top. Spoon the Cranberry, Orange, and Apple Preserves over the brie.
Replace the top of the bread and bake for about 20 minutes. Be sure to line the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper as some of the brie might ooze out of the bread. If desired, toast the extra bread that you scooped out of the middle for serving. Serve immediately.
Eggnog Panna Cotta with Cranberry Preserves
Thursday, December 22, 2022
PREP TIME: 25 mins, COOK TIME: 10 mins, CHILL TIME: 2 hrs, TOTAL TIME: 2 hrs 35 mins
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons of cold water
2 1/4 teaspoons 1 packet powdered gelatin
2 cups 480ml commercially prepared eggnog
Cranberry, Orange, and Apple Preserves
6 fresh or sugared cranberries for garnish
6 fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the panna cotta: Place the cold water in a small condiment cup. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water evenly and let stand until the gelatin is absorbed.
In a small saucepan, heat the eggnog until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and add the gelatin to the hot eggnog. Stir until the gelatin is dissolved.
Place six 4 oz. dessert glasses on a baking sheet. Pour 1/3 cup of the eggnog mixture into each cup. Transfer the baking sheet with the glasses on it to the refrigerator. Chill for 2 hours.
When the panna cotta is firm, spoon the Cranberry, Orange, and Apple Preserves on top until filled to the brim of the glass. Skewer each cranberry completely through from stem to end using a toothpick. Thread rosemary sprigs through each berry. Balance each garnish across the top of each glass.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Mincemeat, Marzipan, and Apple Bread Wreath
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 30 minutes, Rising Time: 2 hours, Serving: 10 people
Ingredients:
Dough:
50 g (½ stick) unsalted butter (or a vegan block butter/margarine)
150 ml (⅔ cup) full-fat milk (or non-dairy milk)
300 g (2 ½ cups) strong white bread flour
8 g (2 ½ tsp) fast-acting yeast
½ tsp salt
50 g (¼ cup) sugar
1 large egg (or a flax egg - 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 Tbsp water)
Filling:
one 411g jar mincemeat
350 g (12 oz) marzipan diced
1 cup Toffee Apple Jam
2 Tbsp Stone Fruit Jam
100 g (1 cup) icing (powdered) sugar sifted
a drop of milk
Instructions:
Heat the milk in a small pan with the butter until melted; remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. You should be able to hold your finger in it with no discomfort.
Tip the flour into the bowl of a food mixer with the sugar, yeast, and salt, then mix. Lightly beat the egg in a cup. Pour the lukewarm buttery milk into the flour and add the beaten egg. Mix to combine, scraping down the sides as necessary, until a dough is formed. Then knead the dough for 5 minutes with a dough hook in the mixer, on a medium speed until smooth and elastic. Or, mix the ingredients in a bowl by hand, making a well in the center of the flour to pour the egg and buttery milk into, mix, and then bring the dough together with your hands before kneading it for 10 minutes on an un-floured work surface. It should be sticky at first but become smooth as you knead it.
Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave it to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until it has more or less doubled in size. Alternatively, place the bowl in the fridge and leave it to rise overnight.
Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Without knocking it back, roll out the dough into a large rectangle about 33x25cm/13x10in. in size.
Spread over the mincemeat evenly then scatter over the diced marzipan and Toffee Apple Jam.
Roll the dough up from one of the long edges into a log. Slice the log in half lengthways, exposing the filling. Twist the two halves together then shape them into a circle, pinching the ends together to seal. Transfer onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment, loosely cover with oiled clingfilm and set aside to rise for about an hour until the dough is puffy and springs back slowly when you press it with a finger.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F/180C/gas mark 4. Bake the bread for about 30-40 minutes until well risen, golden, and cooked through - the internal temperature should reach at least 202F/94C. Cover loosely with tin foil partway through baking if the top starts to color too much.
Leave the bread to cool on the tray before serving. While the loaf is cooling, heat the Stone Fruit Jam with a splash of water in a small pan over medium heat until runny, then brush the sieved Stone Fruit Jam all over the warm bread to glaze. Set aside to cool completely.
Just before serving, in a bowl mix the icing sugar with enough milk to form a runny icing and drizzle it all over the wreath.
Cranberry Pepper Jelly Dip
Tuesday, December 6, 2022
Ingredients:
One regular-sized block of cream cheese softened
8 oz Apple Hot Pepper Jelly
4 oz Cranberry, Orange, and Apple Preserves
Crackers and pretzels
Instructions:
Spread the cream cheese onto a small serving dish.
Mix the Cranberry, Orange, and Apple Preserves and Apple Hot Pepper Jelly together in a bowl.
Spoon the cranberry mixture over the cream cheese.
Serve with crackers!
25 Grown-Up Versions of Peanut Butter & Jelly
Monday, November 28, 2022
>6 Minutes Reading Time
“Adult PB&J: Let’s start off simple by upgrading PB&J’s two main ingredients. Swap the peanut butter out for almond butter, because almonds are all the rage right now & apparently better for you. You could also try sunflower seed butter as another alternative. Then, instead of the usual plain jellies, use Gingered Carrot Cake Marmalade that includes Grand Marnier, because making something more adult usually means adding alcohol to it. Feel free to upgrade your bread to something other than pre-sliced loaves while you’re at it.
Banana Bread PB&J: You’ve probably had peanut butter & banana, but substituting banana bread for regular bread is straight-up sorcery. Plus, it allows you to keep jelly in the equation without worrying about the slippery texture pushing out the bananas with every bite. (Clearly, we’ve studied every sort of PB&J-related dilemma. You’re welcome.)
Burgerized PB&J: Being an adult means you’re granted special privileges not afforded to kids. You can stay up as late as you want & you’re finally allowed to operate a grill. Because this is America, you should use these freedoms to your advantage by adding peanut butter & jelly to your burger, especially since it easily allows you to add some bacon to the mix. And for the record, being an adult also means you get to make up words like “burgerized.”
Crȇpe avec PB&J: If you don’t speak French, “avec” means “with,” & “crȇpe” means “crȇpe.” Now that we’ve got that intensive language lesson out of the way, feel free to start adding PB&J to your crȇpes. It tastes great & makes you feel great. Maybe not physically, especially if you eat several, but emotionally. & saying “crȇpe” will win you some class points that you’ll immediately lose when following it with the words “PB&J.”
Deep-Fried PB&J: If your regular PB&J seems too healthy (Fruit? Nuts? What am I, on a diet?) then consider deep-frying the whole thing. Just remember that deep-fried food tastes best fresh, so be sure to eat it right away... but not immediately after removing it from the fryer, of course. Option to include a homemade white chocolate ganache!
French Toast PB&J: There’s a lot going on here, but it’s actually a simple procedure when you break it down. (It’s also delicious.) Start by making two slices of French toast. However, before flipping the bread, spread peanut butter on one slice’s grilled side & jelly on the other slice’s grilled side. Sandwich them together & finish cooking the French toast as if it’s a grilled cheese sandwich.
Fresh Fruit PB&J: Sometimes you gotta eat healthily. The next time you make a PB&J, add something a little fresher...like fresh fruit! Whether it’s strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, or even pomegranate seeds. You might even find that you like it better this way!
Grilled PB&J: No fancy ingredients here; just a different way to prepare the classic version of PB&J. Once the sandwich is constructed, lightly butter both sides & simply prepare it exactly as you would for a grilled cheese sandwich.
PB&J Bread: If you were intrigued by the banana bread PB&J recipe but are also some kind of banana-hater who thinks that bananas are the Banana Runts of fruit, then this is the recipe for you. On the outside, it looks like plain ol’ bread. But on the inside, it holds a secret stash of PB&J.
PB&J Cake: Your parents were right when they told you kids can’t eat cake for breakfast. But now that you’re an adult, go nuts. Besides, a cake is basically bread, right? So you’re not being immature, you’re being innovative.
PB&J Club: No, this isn’t a social club for PB&J lovers...unless you’re nominating me as president, in which case I totally accept. (This is so unexpected; I have so many people to thank.) It’s simply a triple-decker PB&J sandwich, because sometimes grown-up versions of foods are just the same foods in grown-up-sized portions. If you want to add bacon to make it more club-like, we won’t stop you. In fact, we insist.
PB&J Cups: You don’t see a lot of kids cutting carbs or going vegan, which is why these breadless, animal-less PB&J cups are the perfect snack for adults...even loaf-loving carnivores.
PB&J Donuts: Kids eat donuts, but true adults make donuts. & then eat them. & then hide the leftovers so their kids can’t have any.
PB&J Fudge: For some reason, kids nowadays don’t seem to enjoy fudge as much as desserts like cookies, chocolate, or other types of candy. Maybe because it’s usually served in small pieces, maybe it’s too rich, or maybe it’s the weird texture that’s not quite hard but not quite soft & sometimes grainy. Regardless of the reasoning, fudge has somehow become more of an adult treat. Or maybe, once again, we just don’t want to share.
PB&J Granola: Combines oats, peanut butter, honey, jelly, vanilla, & cinnamon into the perfect snack - & it only takes 20 minutes to make a whole batch. Once it’s done, you can pair your perfect granola with yogurt, or fruit, or chocolate if you’re not into the whole health thing.
PB&J Ice Cream Sandwiches: In addition to being a grown-up version of PB&J, these sweet treats are also grown-up versions of ice cream sandwiches. They use peanut butter cookie dough in place of the cookies or cookie crust, & add jelly to the ice cream center. & the best part, compared to other sammies, the ice cream here is much more likely to stick to the dough & not fall out the sides.
PB&J Muffins: Muffins are like grown-up cupcakes, so PB&J muffins are like a grown-up version of regular PB&J, right? Either way, we don’t really care, because these are irresistible. I mean, just look at them sitting there all crumbly & so forth. Do you think a kid could handle this without getting it all over their face & the floor? Nope, & you probably can’t either, but it’s okay because no one will yell at you for making a mess.
PB&J Pancakes: We told you about cake & we told you about French toast, so you probably expected a PB&J pancake in here somewhere. & seriously, what better brunch food could there be, as these bad boys mix a classic breakfast food with a classic lunch item in a way only an adult could conceive...probably somewhere between mimosas number three & four.
PB&J Quesadillas: If you were intrigued by the grilled PB&J but want something a little lighter & healthier, sub out the bread for a whole wheat tortilla. Not only will you consume fewer carbs & less food in general, but you also won’t need to butter it up for grilling. Simply coat your pan with cooking spray & toss on the tortilla.
PB&J Smoothies: It’s almost as simple as throwing a PB&J sandwich in a blender. (But not quite, so don’t do that.) Just combine almond butter, peanut butter, strawberries, & a banana; then mix & drink! Feel free to mess around with the amounts to your liking.
PB&J Smoothie Cocktails: You’ll need to buy Van Gogh PB&J Vodka for the full effect, & then add milk, ice cream, a banana, raspberries, & some extra peanut butter. Blend well, add toasted peanuts as a garnish, & drink responsibly.
PB&J Squares: Foods in bar form are the best way to eat breakfast on the go - just ask anyone who has ended up with a lap full of milk & cereal during their morning commute. A lap full of peanut butter & jelly drippings is just as bad (trust us on this one), which is why these PB&J bars are the perfect morning snack.
PB&J Sushi: Don’t worry, there’s no actual seafood in this PB&J sushi. (Unless… No, no, the world isn’t ready for that yet.) Instead, it’s basically a fancier way to serve PB&J - which is perfect for parties! No recipe is needed, as this one is a cinch. Using white, flour tortillas - or crust-less bread flattened with a rolling pin - simply spread on your peanut butter & jelly of choice, cut the tortillas or bread into thin strips, roll it up tightly, & serve.
PB&J Toast: Think slathering toast with mashed avocado is the only way to add some flavor & health benefits to regular bread? Then you’ll love switching things up with this PB&J toast made with your choice of nut butter, nectarines, blackberries, & honey. You get vitamins, protein, & carbs, making it a perfect pre-workout meal. Plus, we still think avocado looks like weird alien food, no matter how delicious & healthy it is.
PB&J Waffles: Like the grilled version, feel free to prepare your favorite version of the classic PB&J for this one. So what exactly makes it “grown-up” then? Well, how many kids do you see out there operating waffle irons? It takes focus, a good sense of timing, and, in case you didn’t know, waffle irons can get hot as heck. (We’ve had numerous ouchies in the past.) So once your meal has been produced, you can eat it with the proud feeling that you just adulted pretty hard...even if it is just a PB&J sandwich you smashed in a waffle iron.”
Waste Reduction Strategy
Sunday, November 20, 2022
4 Minutes Reading Time
Conservation has always been a passion of mine, so I looked into ways I could affect change on a larger scale, especially through the manufacturing process. I made a conscious effort to choose glass jars despite plastic containers being cheaper, not breaking as easily, & are lighter for shipping because glass is sustainable, can be reused forever, repurposed, & easily recycled. I knew I wanted to encourage my customers to join my efforts so I offer 10% off their next jar if they returned an empty glass jar or showed me how they’re repurposing it.
Similarly, from the start using ugly produce has been at the core of my business model. Food waste is huge. I read that the UN Food & Agriculture Organization estimates a 1/3rd of the edible parts of food produced for human consumption gets lost or wasted globally, which is about 1.3 billion tons per year. I see it as an injustice to the people who lack access to food. There’s no reason to go hungry in the 21st century. Food & water waste happens in every step of the process from growing, transporting, processing, & selling which likewise impacts the use of our croplands, fertilizer utilization, labor, energy, & greenhouse gases. Markets have conditioned people to look for perfect produce & will avoid anything that doesn’t measure up to specific appearance standards. However, the growing process is far from perfect with uncontrollable weather, temperature, & soil conditions. This is where the B-grade, ugly produce comes in. Farmers can’t sell those imperfect goods to the general market, but as far as we’re concerned like most things in life, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. We’re going to lovingly cut, crush, & blend the fresh delicious produce to be cooked into jam, so misshapen appearances, bruises, & discolorations do not matter. The farmers still make a living & nothing goes to waste. It’s all about small changes from contentious individuals making a difference in global issues. 3) Please give me a couple of examples of ways that you reduce waste in your manufacturing process. Which ones work the best? Do you feel there are any trade-offs? Can you quantify how much waste you're saving?
We are mindful of our storage & cooling facilities so that nothing spoils under our watch. We have an efficient inventory management system to trace raw materials & components throughout procurement, production, & sales. We keep close track of our inventory, our system processes, & the supply chain to ensure we have the right quantities for the correct timing & to be sure that we can locate & move stock faster. If it does look like our fruits & vegetables are ripening too quickly, we cut, label, & freeze them for future use. Everything we produce for our regular line of preserves is freshly made, but we’ll be asked for special orders of things that aren’t in season & that’s when we let our customers know that we can do a just-in-time limited run for them with the produce we had stored away at the peak season that way nothing goes to waste.
One of the reasons we use the small-batch approach is to create less waste through quality control because an error or defect is caught immediately & the problem can be fixed before it affects other parts, moreover minimizing the expenditure of time, money, effort, & overproduction. Plus, we have made some recipe modifications to cut down on as much waste as possible. We have a variety of seasonal apple jams, jellies, chutneys, & butter so we were having a great deal of peels we didn’t want to waste. We tested a bunch of recipes & came up with what we initially called Scapple Jelly where we made juice from the peels & turned it into jelly. The name didn’t stick, but the jelly did & it became one of our best sellers. Furthermore, instead of buying pectin try to get it from our apple & citrus peels. We aren’t at the stage of having our own organic farm yet, but we do have little gardens at home so we compost the green food waste that can’t be repurposed & use it to grow our community gardens. Additionally, have started looking into waste exchange programs with local farmers to use our produce scraps to help feed their pigs, goats, & chickens.
In addition, there are some little things we do to reduce waste as well as such as print on both sides of the paper to reduce paper wastage, use recycled paper for our letterhead, email as often as we can, use a dishcloth instead of paper towels in the kitchen, avoid buying items that are over-packaged with foil, paper, & plastic & buy products in bulk to reduce excess packaging, purchase durable goods that are well-built & carry good warranties, & gently use, maintain, & repair as much as we can versus harshly using & immediately replacing equipment. We use energy-efficient light bulbs & appliances. We try to standardize as much as possible. We ask our major suppliers to cut down on packaging to only what is absolutely necessary. When we ship our preserves, we use air packs & as many recycled materials as possible for our cardboard packaging & at events, we give inexpensive canvas or jute tote bags instead of plastic bags to our customers. We have recycling bins set up throughout the premises & as part of our event booths. We reuse & repurpose wooden pallets.
We strive to properly layout, label, & organize to reduce wasted time. Our workflows, standard operating procedures, & training help with that as well. We monitor, audit, & adapt.
The final thing we hate to waste is the time & creativity of the people who work with us. We ensure everyone is seen & heard & all opinions & suggestions are taken equally into consideration regardless of their position or time with us. We encourage open communication, transparency, respect, & honesty & reward & publicize their efforts & ideas.
Coronation Chicken
Saturday, November 12, 2022
A salad fit for a king! This recipe was inspired by the original, which was made for Queen Elizabeth’s coronation luncheon in 1953. Studded with dried apricots & toasted almonds, the salad is finished with a curry cream sauce. It's sweet, crunchy, savory, & has a hint of spice — & perfect to serve over lettuce or between bread for a satisfying sandwich.
Total: 55 min (includes cooling time) Active: 25 min Yield: 8 cups
Ingredients:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds)
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium white onion, diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 cup red wine
2 tablespoons Savory Spiced Mango Conserve
Juice 1/2 a lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots (about the size of a raisin)
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
Directions:
Begin by poaching the chicken. Season the chicken generously on both sides with salt, then place it in a single layer in a large pot. Add the peppercorns and 1 of the bay leaves. Pour cool water over the chicken until it is covered by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and place it on a plate to cool. Shred the chicken, by hand, into large pieces and set aside in a medium bowl.
Cool the poaching liquid completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container and reserve for another use (see Cook’s Note).
For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darker in color, about 1 minute. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the red wine, 1/4 cup water, Savory Spiced Mango Conserve, lemon juice, and remaining bay leaf, and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Remove the bay leaf.
Combine the mayonnaise and sour cream in a medium bowl using a rubber spatulate. Add the cooled curry mixture and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to combine.
To finish the salad, mix the shredded chicken with the dried apricots and sliced almonds. Pour the sauce over the chicken mixture and gently coat the chicken with the sauce using a rubber spatula. Finish the salad by gently mixing in the cilantro.
Cook’s Note: Rather than dispose of the poaching liquid, reuse it! The liquid is a bit thinner than regular broth but still has plenty of flavors. Use it to cook rice or quinoa or to make a delicately flavored soup.
Salt-and-Pepper Sandwich Cookies with Strawberry Margarita Preserves
Friday, November 4, 2022
Active: 1 hr, Total: 1 hr 30 mins, Yield: Makes 18 sandwiches
Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
Strawberry Margarita Preserves
Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the salt, pepper, baking powder, and baking soda until evenly combined. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Using a 1 1/2-ounce ice cream scoop or a soup spoon and working in 2 batches, scoop the dough into 11/2-inch balls and arrange at least 3 inches apart on 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, until set at the edges and lightly browned; rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
To serve, spread 1 heaping tablespoon of Strawberry Margarita Preserves on one side of half the cookies. Sandwich with the remaining cookies and serve.
Make-Ahead: The salt-and-pepper cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Halloween Sugar Cookie Pizza
Thursday, October 27, 2022
Take a page out of Food & Wine Magazine by making their Halloween Sugar Cookie Pizza using our Strawberry Margarita Preserves www.foodandwine.com/recipes/halloween-sugar-cookie-pizza This is a playful riff on the classic margarita pizza, made with a crisp sugar cookie “crust,” Strawberry Margarita Preserves, & marshmallows. This would also be terrific with a peanut butter cookie crust.
Active: 30 mins, Total: 1 hr 10 mins, Yield: 8
Ingredients-
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup Strawberry Margarita Preserves
1 1/2 cups of large marshmallows, some torn into smaller pieces
Directions-
In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, & salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the sugar with the butter at medium speed until light & fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg & vanilla until incorporated, about 2 minutes. At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients until the dough just comes together. Gather & pat the dough into a 7-inch disk. Wrap in plastic & refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread the coconut on a pie plate & toast for about 10 minutes, until golden. Let cool. Line an inverted baking sheet or a pizza tray with parchment paper. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, until golden around the edge. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Spread the Strawberry Margarita Preserves over the cookie crust leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Arrange the marshmallows over the Strawberry Margarita Preserves. Broil 5 to 6 inches from the heat, until the marshmallows are golden.
Scatter the toasted coconut over the pizza, slice it into wedges & serve.
Make-Ahead: The cookie dough can be frozen for up to 1 month.
Strawberry Crème Fraîche Biscuits
Wednesday, October 19, 2022
Active: 35 mins, Total: 1 hr 35 mins, Yield: 12
Ingredients:
BISCUITS:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1 large egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup diced strawberries (6 ounces)
WHIPPED Crème Fraîche:
3/4 cup crème fraîche
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup Strawberry Margarita Preserves
Directions:
Make the biscuits: Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until pea-size pieces form. In another medium bowl, whisk the crème fraîche with the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Stir the crème fraîche mixture into the dry ingredients until the dough just comes together. Fold in the diced strawberries, being careful not to overmix.
Scoop twelve 1/4-cup mounds of the biscuit dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake the biscuits for about 30 minutes, until browned; shift the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Transfer the biscuits to a rack and let them cool slightly.
Make the whipped Crème Fraîche: In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the crème fraîche with the cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt at moderate speed until medium peaks form. Fold in the Strawberry Margarita Preserves until just combined. Serve with the warm biscuits.
Our 10 Core Values
Tuesday, October 11, 2022
~4 minutes reading time
1. Produce the highest quality all-natural and organic preserves
We create preserves with all-natural ingredients; you can trust they are free from corn syrup, preservatives, artificial flavors, colors, and additives, and are also gluten-free, fat-free, sodium-free, and dairy-free with almost all flavors except one being Kosher, Halal, Ital, and vegan. We partner with farmers and suppliers and carefully vet their produce to make sure they meet our high standards by researching ingredients, reading labels, and auditing sourcing practices all to make the highest quality all-natural, and organic preserves for you. Remember, if it doesn’t meet our standards, we don’t sell it. A focus on fresh food, thinking, and innovation makes us better at serving our customers.
2. Delight our customers with our quality and consistency
We strive to meet or exceed our customer’s expectations in every shopping experience by providing good food to good people. We deliver outstanding customer service through our knowledge, skill, enthusiasm, and operational excellence. We source our seasonal ingredients locally to bring fresh, tropical, and unique delights, straight farm-to-table, small-batch goodness using our multicultural family recipes to your family. We cater to special needs including organic, kosher, vegan, and gluten-free. We continually experiment and innovate to offer a better customer experience. We create environments that are inviting, fun, unique, comfortable, attractive, nurturing, and educational. We want our preserves to be in the center of community meeting places where people can join their friends and make new ones. “Customers don’t need us, we need them,” so focus on them and thrive by meeting their needs and exceeding their expectations.
3. Promote team member growth and happiness
Our success is dependent upon the collective energy, intelligence, and contributions of all our team. We design and provide safe and empowering environments where highly motivated people can flourish and reach their highest potential. We strive to build positive and healthy relationships. "Us versus them" thinking has no place in our company. We earn trust through transparent communication, open-door policies, and inclusive people practices. We appreciate and recognize the good work that our fellow team members do every day. Everyone is seen, heard, and taken into consideration. We aim to help and serve people by improving the quality of life for others, individuals, and society. We value the importance of fun, family, and community involvement to encourage a rich, meaningful, and balanced life. We believe in treating each other with dignity and respect.
4. Form win-win partnerships with our farmers
We are part of an interdependent ecosystem. There are dozens of farmers we depend on to create an outstanding preserve and in turn a wonderful shopping experience for our customers. We view them as allies and treat them with respect, fairness, and integrity, expecting the same in return. We listen compassionately, we think carefully, and we always seek win-win relationships with everyone. By relying on these local farmers for seasonal, ugly produce we help reduce waste, cut transportation time keeping the fruit fresher & healthier for longer, and reduce our carbon emissions. Our vision is to create a better world by employing fair economic and labor practices, promoting and incentivizing recycling, reusing, and reducing, and donating 10% to cancer research making a healthier world around us.
5. Care about our community and the environment
We serve and support a local experience, and practice and advance environmental stewardship. We employ women, minorities, and people with disabilities to create quality preserves. We make a commitment to sustainability and to acting in an environmentally friendly way. We made a conscious effort to choose glass jars despite plastic containers being cheaper, not breaking as easily, and lighter for shipping because glass is sustainable, can be reused forever, repurposed, and easily recycled. We want to encourage our customers to join our efforts by offering 10% off their next jar if they returned an empty glass jar or showed how they’re repurposing it. Food and water waste happens in every step of the process from growing, transporting, processing, and selling which likewise impacts the use of our croplands, fertilizer utilization, labor, energy, and greenhouse gases. Markets have conditioned people to look for perfect produce and will avoid anything that doesn’t measure up to specific appearance standards. However, the growing process is far from perfect with uncontrollable weather, temperature, and soil conditions. This is where the B-grade, ugly produce comes in. Farmers can’t sell those imperfect goods to the general market, but as far as we’re concerned like most things in life, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. We’re going to lovingly cut, crush, and blend the fresh delicious produce to be cooked into jam, so misshapen appearances, bruises, and discolorations do not matter. The farmers still make a living and nothing goes to waste. It’s all about small changes from contentious individuals making a difference in global issues.
6. Help preserve lives through donations to cancer research
The name JP's Delights is for my dad, John-Paul, who inspired me to follow my dreams. Unfortunately, he passed away 2 months before the initial start of JP's Delights after an 11-month battle with stage 4 esophageal cancer. This is my motivation for donating 10% towards esophageal cancer research.
7. Inspire adventure
Be adventurous, creative, and open-minded while perusing growth and learning. It’s fine to make mistakes as long are you learn from them and leave room for growth. No one has all the answers, so go out there and look for them; explore.
8. Innovate transparently with playful creativity
Share information and ideas freely, ensuring that others can benefit from the things we learn through failures and successes. Be curious and come up with new ideas. We embrace diversity by acknowledging that different perspectives are needed to fuel creativity and innovation.
9. Ownership
We are the owners of our actions and decisions. Treat the company as if one were a founder.
10. Create fun and a little weirdness
How do these values shape culture?
Core values directly impact the organization's culture as they lead the attitude and united behavior of the sense of community. They inspire, motivate, give purpose, and guide communication, decisions, branding, strategies, customer service, and innovation. People will usually be most comfortable working in a business that has a corporate culture that reflects their own personal values. They will be more likely to be satisfied and engaged with the company, increasing overall performance and giving the organization a competitive advantage. It helps with creativity, motivation, efficiency, and productivity. Core values can boost brand perception and help to build trust in a business. They attract the people you want and set a unified, guiding framework for hiring people, a code of conduct, and handling human resources. It’s something that can differentiate one organization from others. Teams need a shared code, vision, identity, ethos, and company culture otherwise they will evolve on their own, potentially in ways that hurt the organization.
Sensational Strawberry Sorbet
Monday, October 3, 2022
Makes almost 3 cups
Ingredients:
1lb (4 cups) ripe, flavorful strawberries
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of Strawberry Margarita Preserves or Raspberry Chipotle Preserves
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/2 cup water
Directions:
Rinse and hull the berries and put them in a food processor or blender with 1/2 cup of the Strawberry Margarita Preserves and the salt. Puree until smooth. Add the lemon juice and water and pulse to mix. Taste and add the remaining Strawberry Margarita Preserves as necessary for sweetness and adjust the lemon juice and salt if necessary. The puree should taste a little bit sweeter than you think it should as it loses sweetness once it's frozen.
Scrape the mixture into a shallow pan, cover, and freeze until hard, 3 to 4 hours.
Break the frozen mixture into chunks with a fork and process in the food processor or blender until there are no more frozen pieces. Continue to process, stopping to redistribute the mixture from time to time, until it is smooth and creamy and lightened in color. It may be frozen enough to serve right out of the food processor, or you can return it to the freezer until needed. If the sorbet freezes too hard, let it soften in the fridge for about 15 minutes, or carefully soften in the microwave on the defrost setting, a few seconds at a time.
7 Jarcuterie Ideas
Sunday, September 25, 2022
1. The JALAPEÑO POPPER Platter
For those who like it hot. It’s no surprise this appetizer is a timeless favorite: Cream cheese is just the cool, rich match for spicy jalapeños. https://www.jpsdelights.com/blog-posts/recipes-ideas#h.p_khFBVgrg5c0h
INSTRUCTIONS:
Make some of our Jalapeno Poppers 3 Ways.
Fry a few slices of bacon. While they cook, combine cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and diced jalapeño in a bowl. Stir until evenly combined. Pat the bacon slices dry and crumble them. Take a small spoonful of the cream cheese mixture, wet your (washed!) hands with a bit of water, and roll it into a small ball. Roll the ball in the bacon bits and stick them with toothpicks, repeating until you’ve used all the cream cheese.
Take your board and add the Jalapeno Poppers and a layer of jalapeño kettle-cooked potato chips. Fill the rest of the board with seeded crackers, cubed cheddar cheese, and cream cheese balls.
2. The ITALIAN DELI Platter in a Jar
When it comes to cheese boards, prosciutto is the best for a reason. It’s sweet, salty, and goes beautifully with soft and hard cheeses alike. Here, we pair it with Italian cheeses and other antipasto favorites.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Slice provolone and pecorino Romano however you’d like (cubes, slices, triangles—you name it). Take a few slices of prosciutto and roll each one into a cylinder-like shape so it can stand up straight in the jar. Skewer pepperoncini and roasted red peppers on toothpicks. Fill the bottom of the jar with pieces of crusty Italian bread (or prop a piece on the rim of the jar). Fill in the rest of the jar with the skewered ingredients and cheese.
3. The TACO TUESDAY Platter
If you really want to wow your guests, look no further than this Mexican-inspired number that boasts tiny versions of your favorite handhelds. Fair warning: You just might want to make a double batch, because odds are everyone will want seconds.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Start by making or buying a batch of mini empanadas. While they bake, fill the try with tortilla chips. Then, take either a cut piece of a full-size corncob or a few baby corn cobs and grill them. (You can also just lightly brown them in a grill pan or skillet on the stove.) Roll them in queso fresco crumbles and top them with cilantro, spices like chile powder or Tajín, and a spritz of lime, and skewer them to create a mini elote. Top the tortilla chips with fresh pico de gallo, guacamole, and queso fresco. Finally, prop the empanada and corn skewers up in the jar.
4. The PIZZA NIGHT Platter in a Jar
Your kids will be psyched to see their favorite dinner’s latest glow-up. Think of this as a deconstructed pizza in a jar, plus a few bonus snacks.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place a small cup of warm marinara or pesto at the bottom of each jar for dipping. Make or buy a few mini garlic knots and skewer them. Make a few bocconcini (aka fresh pearl mozzarella) skewers as well. Stand the skewers up in the jar alongside mozzarella cheese sticks, pepperoni sticks and thin, crispy breadsticks.
5. The GREEK Platter in a Jar
Dress Feta up with other Mediterranean favorites for a charcuterie that doubles as dinner.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Fill a small cup with tzatziki and place it at the bottom of the jar for dipping. Make a batch of Greek lemon chicken or gyro meat skewers. Slice a slab of feta, as well as some thin, long cucumber sticks. Stand the skewers, cheese and cucumber up vertically in the jar, along with pitted kalamata olives stacked on toothpicks. Toast some pita points, spread them with hummus and nestle them in the jar, or cut a slit in each and stick them on the jar’s rim.
6. The BRUNCH Platter
Psst: We know what you’re cooking Sunday morning. This recipe calls on a handful of breakfast essentials and assembles them in a fun way that’s impressive enough to serve to company. (Pro tip: Keep the cooked waffles/French toast sticks and scrambled eggs on a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven until you’re ready to assemble and serve, so they don’t get cold.)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Whip up a batch of French toast sticks or cinnamon-sugar waffle quarters (or buy the premade, frozen kind—we won’t tell!). Stand them up in the jar, with or without skewers. Make scrambled eggs with shredded cheddar and put a layer on the board. Fry a few slices of bacon; while they cook, assemble fruit kebabs with produce of your choice. Lay the bacon alongside the fruit. If you’re feeling extra, finish it off with a mini biscuit spread with preserves.
7. The CANDY LAND Platter in a Jar
Our favorite thing about jarcuterie is that cheese and meat don’t need to be included. You can go ham with just about any ingredients you can think of, from a pancake board to chocolate charcuterie. This dessert alternative is all about sweets. Might we suggest whipping these up before an epic movie marathon?
INSTRUCTIONS:
Add a layer of yogurt or chocolate-covered pretzels to the bottom of the jar. Next, add a layer of chocolate truffles or fun-sized chocolates. Cut up a few Rice Krispie Treats (feel free to use shaped cookie-cutters instead of just slicing them) and skewer them. Fold up a few Sour Strips or gummies and stick a skewer through them. Position all the skewers in the jar and fill the rest of the space with rock candy and lollipops.
Strawberry Amaranth Porridge with Cardamom
Saturday, September 17, 2022
Total: 20 mins, Yield: 2 to 4
Ingredients:
1 cup amaranth—soaked overnight, rinsed, and drained through a very fine mesh
2 cups unsweetened almond or coconut milk
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
½ vanilla bean, split open, seeds scraped
½ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom, from about 3 to 4 pods
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
1 cup Strawberry Margarita Preserves
Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients for the porridge, except Strawberry Margarita Preserves, (vanilla pod included) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
Warm the Strawberry Margarita Preserves.
Mix the porridge and Strawberry Margarita Preserves together. Add a few splashes of coconut milk if desired and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Strawberry-Mango Paletas
Friday, September 9, 2022
Active: 30 mins, Total: 5 hrs 30 mins, Yield: 8 ice pops
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups Strawberry Margarita Preserves
1/2 cup Strawberry nectar juice
2 cups Mango Jam
1 cup mango nectar juice
Directions:
Blend 1 1/4 cups Strawberry Margarita Preserves with 1/2 cup Strawberry nectar juice. Then blend 1 1/4 cups Mango Jam with 1/2 cup mango nectar juice.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of the mango puree into the bottom of eight 3-ounce ice pop molds. Add 2 tablespoons of the strawberry puree to each mold, then top with the remaining mango puree, leaving 1/2 inch between the filling and the top of the mold. Using a small knife, gently swirl the mango and strawberry layers together. Insert wooden ice pop sticks and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight. Dip the molds in hot water for a few seconds, then unmold the paletas and serve right away.
Make-Ahead: The paletas can be covered and frozen in a single layer for up to 1 week.
Pink Grapefruit, Sparkling Wine, & Basil Granita
Thursday, September 1, 2022
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
300ml caster sugar
250ml pink grapefruit juice
250ml sparkling pink wine
2 tbsp Three Fruit Marmalade
a few basil leaves and extra to garnish
Recipe:
Combine the Three Fruit Marmalade, sugar, and water in a saucepan with a few fresh basil leaves. Bring up to heat to allow the sugar to dissolve and simmer for a few minutes. Remove the basil leaves and set them aside to cool.
Once cool, pour into a shallow container along with the grapefruit juice and sparkling wine.
Place the dish on a flat surface in the freezer. Freeze for 1.5 hours, then scrape the granita with a fork and place it back in the freezer. Repeat this process a couple of times, bringing the ice in towards the center of the dish, until it has a granular texture. Serve with a sprig of basil to garnish.
Stilton Sirloin Burgers with Sweet & Spicy Double Onion Marmalade
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Total: 50 mins, Yield: 8 mini burgers
Ingredients:
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 pounds ground sirloin
4 ounces Stilton cheese, cut into 8 slices
8 mini brioche or kaiser rolls, split
8 Boston lettuce leaves, for serving
Sweet & Spicy Double Onion Marmalade
Directions:
Light a grill. Generously season the sirloin with salt and pepper. Mix gently, then shape into eight 1-inch-thick patties; season again with salt and pepper. Grill the burgers, turning once until charred on the outside and pink within, about 3 minutes per side. Just before the burgers are done, top them with the Stilton. Transfer to a platter. Lightly grill the buns. Set the burgers on the buns. Top with the Sweet & Spicy Double Onion Marmalade and lettuce and serve.
Serve with sweet potato fries and a glass of bourbon.
Strawberry Tamales
Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Active: 45 mins, Total: 2 hrs 45 mins, Yield: 8
Ingredients:
1/2 cup evaporated cane sugar
8 large dried cornhusks
Boiling water
1 3/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill masa harina
2 sticks of unsalted butter, preferably cultured, at room temperature
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 vanilla bean—split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved, pod reserved for later use
1 cup Strawberry Margarita Preserves
Eight 10-inch squares of thin sandwich paper, moistened
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream with lime zest, for serving
Directions:
In a large bowl, cover the dried cornhusks with enough boiling water to completely submerge them; weigh them down with a plate. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
In a medium bowl, combine the masa harina with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of water and mix until a dough forms.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with 1/2 cup of sugar at medium-high speed until whipped and smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in the baking powder, salt, and vanilla seeds. Scrape the butter mixture into a bowl.
Add the masa dough to the bowl of the stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in Strawberry Margarita Preserves, 1/3 cup at a time, and scrape down the bowl, until incorporated. Beat in the whipped butter in 3 additions, scraping down the bowl, until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Lay 1 cornhusk smooth side up on a work surface and spoon 1/2 cup of the tamale dough in the center. Roll the husk around the dough to make a compact cylinder, folding in the sides as you roll. Tie the tamale with kitchen string and wrap it tightly in a sheet of sandwich paper. Repeat to form 7 more tamales.
Arrange the tamales in a steamer set over a pot of simmering water. Cover and steam until firm, 90 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature with Strawberry Margarita Preserves and ice cream or whipped cream.
Make-Ahead: The uncooked tamales can be frozen for 2 weeks; steam from frozen. The cooked tamales can be refrigerated for 2 days and rewarmed to serve.
Michelada Gingembre
Monday, August 8, 2022
Makes 1 Drink
Ingredients:
Ice
6 ounces chilled Sprite
1-ounce fresh lemon juice
1-ounce Simple Syrup
3/4 ounce fresh ginger juice (grated from a 2-inch piece of fresh ginger and pressed through a fine strainer)
Dash of jalapeño hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon of Habanero Jelly
1 teaspoon of Meyer Lemon and Vanilla Marmalade
1 teaspoon of Mountain Dew Jelly
12 ounces chilled IPA-style beer
Pinch of sea salt
Directions:
Fill a chilled pint glass halfway with ice. Add the Sprite, lemon juice, Simple Syrup, ginger juice, hot sauce, Habanero Jelly, Meyer Lemon and Vanilla Marmalade, and Mountain Dew Jelly; stir well. Add enough beer to fill the glass; top with the salt. As you finish the drink, continue to pour
Frozen Strawberries-and-Cream Pops
Sunday, July 31, 2022
Active: 15 mins, Total: 6 hrs 35 mins, Yield: 10
Ingredients:
2/3 cup Strawberry Margarita Preserves
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon crème fraîche
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions:
Process milk, crème fraîche, heavy cream, honey, vanilla, and salt in a blender on medium-high speed until fully combined, about 30 seconds.
Divide Strawberry Margarita Preserves evenly among 10 (3-ounce) ice pop molds (about 1 tablespoon per mold). Divide cream mixture evenly among molds; stir gently to combine. Insert ice-pop sticks or food-safe craft sticks, and freeze until firm, about 6 hours or up to overnight.
Raspberry & Cherry Chipotle BBQ Baby Back Ribs
Saturday, July 23, 2022
Total Time 7:20 - Prep 0:20 / Cook 7:00, 4 Servings
INGREDIENTS:
Ribs
4 slabs of pork baby back ribs (Baby back ribs from the rib bones of the pig closest to the loin. One rack [10 to 13 ribs] weighs about 3 to 4 pounds and should feed 2 to 3 people.)
20 pounds of hickory or competition blend wood pellets
Dry Rub
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup paprika
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground mustard
Raspberry and Cherry Chipotle BBQ Sauce
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup Raspberry Chipotle Jam
1/3 cup Cherry Scotch Bonnet Jelly
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
PREPARATION:
Fill the hopper with wood pellets. Preheat your pellet grill to 200°F.
Insert a butter knife between the membrane and one of the rib bones. Grab the membrane with a paper towel and pull to remove it completely.
In a medium-size bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, pepper, and ground mustard. Season the ribs on both sides with the dry rub mixture.
Place the ribs in your pellet grill and cook for 3 hours at 200°F.
Remove ribs and wrap them in aluminum foil or butcher paper.
Increase grill temperature to 225°F. Place ribs back into the grill and cook for another 2 hours.
In a medium saucepan, combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Raspberry Chipotle Jam, Cherry Scotch Bonnet Jelly, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove ribs from the pellet grill, unwrap, and brush with barbecue sauce.
Return ribs to grill and cook for another hour.
Remove from grill and let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
Redhead in Bed
Friday, July 15, 2022
Total: 5 mins, Yield: 5 drinks
Ingredients:
2 cups of Strawberry Margarita Preserves
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons citrus vodka
2 cups of Ice
1/3 cup chilled Riesling
Directions:
In a blender, combine Strawberry Margarita Preserves, vodka, ice, and puree. Fill 5 collins glasses halfway with ice. Pour the cocktail into the glasses, top each with about 1 tablespoon of Riesling and serve.
Grilled Edible Cheeseboard
Thursday, July 7, 2022
Total: 1 hr 30 min, Active: 30 min, Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 cup red grapes
1/2 cup dried apricots, quartered (about 3 ounces)
1/2 cup walnut halves (about 2 ounces)
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, broken into little pieces
2 pounds refrigerated pizza dough, at room temperature (If you buy two 1-pound balls of pizza dough, knead them together before bringing them to room temperature)
One 8-ounce wheel brie cheese
1/4 cup honey
1 cup of your favorite olives (about 5 ounces)
1 cup Parmesan chunks or other hard cheese (about 4 ounces)
8 ounces sliced cured meats, such as salami, prosciutto, or mortadella, or a combination
Your favorite preserves
Directions:
Make six 2-inch-thick discs of aluminum foil by crumpling sheets of foil: Make two 2-inch-wide discs, two 3-inch-wide discs, and two 5-inch-wide discs. Set aside.
Spread 2 tablespoons of olive oil on the bottom and sides of a sheet pan. Scatter the grapes, apricots, walnuts, and rosemary in a single layer around the border of the sheet pan. Arrange the aluminum discs in the open space inside the grape border, making sure they don’t touch.
Stretch the pizza dough on a clean work surface so it is the same size as the sheet pan. Carefully lift it and lay it over the top of the foil discs, grapes, and other ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until puffy, about 1 hour.
Prepare a grill for medium heat. Remove the plastic wrap from the sheet pan and put the pan on the grill. Cover the grill with the lid and let cook until the dough is set around the edges and dry on top, about 10 minutes.
Using protective gloves or towels, flip the sheet pan onto the grill so the foil, grapes, and other ingredients are facing up; remove the sheet pan. Cover the grill and cook until the dough is lightly golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove one of the 5-inch aluminum discs and insert the brie into the indented bread bowl where the disc was. Cover the grill and cook until the dough is completely cooked and golden all over and the cheese is hot through, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the edible cheeseboard to a serving platter or cutting board using tongs and a heatproof spatula. Remove the remaining foil discs and drizzle the whole thing with olive oil, avoiding the brie. Put the preserves and honey in the smallest bread bowl and the olives and Parmesan in the medium bowls. Fold and tuck the cured meat into the remaining large bowls. Put a small spoon in the preserves and honey and a knife by the brie for serving. Serve the cheeseboard warm, encouraging people to tear off pieces of bread to layer with meat and cheese or drizzle with preserves or honey.
Grilled Strawberry-Avocado Toasts with Burrata
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Total: 45 mins, Yield: 4
Ingredients:
6 scallions
2 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 Hass avocado—peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Four 1-inch-thick slices of rustic bread
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup Strawberry Margarita Preserves
8 ounces burrata, cut into bite-size pieces
Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
Flaky sea salt and torn basil, for garnish
Directions:
Light a grill. Grill the scallions over high heat, turning once, until lightly charred, 3 minutes. Transfer to a work surface and let cool, then cut into 1-inch lengths. Leave the grill on.
In a medium bowl, mix the scallions with the strawberries, avocado, lemon juice, and crushed red pepper. Season with kosher salt and black pepper and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, brush the bread with olive oil and grill over high heat, turning once, until lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter and rub with the garlic clove. Top with the Strawberry Margarita Preserves, burrata, and the strawberry salad. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Garnish with flaky sea salt and torn basil; serve.
Spicy Cherry Cordial
Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Active: 30 mins, Total: 1 hr, Yield: 4 cups
Ingredients:
2 cups Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly
2 cups water
1 ½ teaspoons cardamom pods, smashed
1 ½ teaspoons grated orange zest, plus 1/2 cup fresh juice (from 1 orange), divided
2 cinnamon sticks
1 (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
Directions:
Stir together Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly, water, cardamom pods, orange zest, cinnamon sticks, and ginger in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl. Pour the Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly mixture through the strainer into a bowl. Discard solids. Stir orange juice into strained Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly mixture. Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, until cooled to room temperature, about 30 minutes. To enjoy, pour a ¼-cup serving over an ice-filled cocktail glass and top up with tonic water, or add a splash to a glass of chilled sparkling white wine.
Tips: Cherry cordial may be stored in resealable glass jars in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Orange Marmalade Martini
Monday, June 13, 2022
2 Servings
Ingredients
100ml London Dry gin
30ml Cointreau
30ml fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. Orange Whiskey Marmalade
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a Boston cocktail shaker. Shake with ice for 30 seconds. Strain into martini glasses to serve.
Serve with warmed croissants for an indulgent breakfast.
Red, Hot, & Cool Raspberries
Sunday, June 5, 2022
Active: 25 mins, Total: 50 mins, Yield: 4
Ingredients:
1 cup Raspberry Chipotle Preserves
2/3 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
2/3 cup cream cheese, softened
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
Directions:
Whisk together yogurt and cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Divide the yogurt mixture among 4 bowls, and top evenly with Raspberry Chipotle Preserves. Garnish with mint leaves, and serve.
Frozen Strawberry Custard with Lemon Curd Swirl
Saturday, May 28, 2022
Active: 1 hr 20 mins, Total: 4 hrs 30 mins, Yield: Makes 2 quarts
Ingredient:
1 cup Strawberry Margarita Preserves
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 cup Lemon Curd
Directions:
In a large saucepan, combine the heavy cream and milk and bring just to a simmer. In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the eggs at medium speed until frothy. Add the vanilla, salt, and the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar. Beat at high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. With the machine on, very gradually whisk in 1 cup of the hot cream mixture, then whisk in the rest. Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until thickened, about 15 minutes. (The custard should be thick enough to coat the back of the spatula.)
Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large stainless-steel bowl set in an ice-water bath. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until well chilled, about 20 minutes. Stir in the Strawberry Margarita Preserves, then refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
In two batches, freeze the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions; when the custard is thick but not firm, scrape it into a medium bowl, and using a rubber spatula, gently fold in 1/2 cup of the lemon curd per batch. Freeze the strawberry custard in airtight containers until firm, about 2 hours.
Make-Ahead: The custard can be frozen for up to 1 week.
Tartiflette
Friday, May 20, 2022
Active: 45 mins, Total: 2 hrs. 5 mins, Yield: 8
Ingredients:
4 medium russet potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds), peeled
1 cup of Sweet and Spicy Double Onion Marmalade
2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons thinly sliced fresh sage
1/4 cup crème fraîche
1 (1-pound) Fromager d’Affinois round, at room temperature, halved crosswise, rind left on
Directions:
Place potatoes in a large pot, and add water to cover. Add 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and let potatoes cool for 30 minutes. Cut potatoes crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and set aside.
Arrange half of the potato slices in an even layer in a 1 1/2-quart oval soufflé dish or 10- x 7- x 1 1/2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Top with half of the Sweet and Spicy Double Onion Marmalade. Layer with remaining potatoes and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Top with remaining Sweet and Spicy Double Onion Marmalade. Dot casserole with spoonfuls of crème fraîche, and arrange Fromager d’Affinois cheese halves (with rind) on top. Place soufflé dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake in preheated oven until bubbly and lightly browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Suggested Pairing: Dry, powerful Chablis.
Meyer Lemons
Monday, May 16, 2022
<2 Minutes Reading Time
Tree.com & I thought you might be interested in the resources we created to recognize a tree that has the best of both worlds thanks to its hybrid fruit, health benefits, & ornamental features: the Meyer lemon tree!
Here are a few fun facts to celebrate this unique source of citrus sweetness & encourage people to plant one on their own:
The Meyer lemon tree originated in China and was primarily known as a decorative plant for almost 100 years until it was brought to the US, where it became a food item.
Many grocery stores don’t carry Meyer lemons, so you may need a tree of your own to access this fruit.
In the 1960s, a virus nearly wiped out all Meyer lemon trees growing in California.
One stock that was found to be virus-free was saved and used to develop the virus-free cultivar “Improved Meyer Lemon” tree, which is what we consume today.
You can learn more here: https://www.trees.com/meyer-lemon-tree#fun-facts
https://www.trees.com/meyer-lemon-tree-organic#fun-facts
🍋 Don't forget to pick up some of our Meyer Lemon and Vanilla Marmalade to easily enjoy any time of the year.
🌞 It's tart Sunshine in a Jar! A lemon lover's paradise, intensely lemony & sweet. https://store.jpsdelights.com/products?store-page=Meyer-Lemon-and-Vanilla-Marmalade-p293530134
Smoked Cherry Bounce
Thursday, May 12, 2022
Active: 35 mins, Total: 2 hrs 40 mins, Yield: 26
Ingredient:
Cherry wood chunks
1 cup fresh Bing cherries (about 4 1/2 ounces), stemmed and pitted
2 cups Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly
1 quart (32 ounces) brandy or rye whiskey
Directions:
Prepare smoker with cherry wood chunks according to manufacturer’s instructions, bringing the internal temperature to about 225°F; maintain temperature 15 to 20 minutes. Place 1 cup (about 4 1/2 ounces) of cherries in an even layer in an 8-inch square disposable aluminum pan, and place on smoker grates. Close lid. Smoke cherries, maintaining the temperature inside the smoker around 225°F, until cherries are infused with the desired degree of smoky flavor, 30 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.
Combine smoked cherries and 2 cups of Scotch Bonnet Cherry Jelly in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until soft. Remove from heat, and let cool for 1 hour.
Pour cherry mixture into a large, clean lidded jar, and top with brandy. Screw lid on tightly, and store in a cool, dark place for 3 months.
Notes: Don’t rush this cordial; our testers found it drinkable after 2 months but exponentially smoother after 3 months.
Chocolate Part 6 of 6
Sunday, May 8, 2022
<3 Minutes Reading Time
131. Darker chocolates contain a higher percentage of cacao, whereas ones with lower percentages contain more milk products and sweeteners. The average milk chocolate bar can have as little as 10 percent of actual cocoa bean products, which is the minimum requirement for the FDA to consider a food a chocolate product.
132. For one of the most popular episodes of the series, titled "Job Switching," which is when Lucy works in a chocolate factory and things start running amuck on the conveyer belt, Lucille Ball heavily prepared for the episode before filming. She recruited a professional chocolate dipper, Amanda Milligan, to play the chocolatier beside her in the episode and taught her how to actually dip chocolate before filming came.
133. According to Smithsonian.com, M&M's are a common treat for astronauts to pack during their space endeavors. This is mainly because they are small, edible, but also fun for the astronauts to use as entertainment in zero gravity, according to the Smithsonian's reports.
134. The average chocolate bar contains insect fragments. The U.S Food and Drug Administration says “Anything more than 60 insect pieces per 100 grams of chocolate is rejected.”
135. A thief took $28 million worth of gems in 2007 after gaining the guard's trust at an Antwerp Bank by repeatedly offering them chocolate.
136. 1 in every 200 workers, or around 17,000 people in Belgium work in the production and promotion of chocolate.
137. One chocolate chip gives an adult enough food energy to walk 150 feet. Around 35 chocolate chips are enough for a mile or 875,000 chips would take them around the world.
138. The biggest chocolate sculpture ever made was a 10-foot-high Easter egg weighing 4,484 lbs (2,034 kg) in Melbourne, Australia.
139. In 1991, a chocolate model ship was made in Barcelona measuring approximately 42.5ft long, 28ft tall, and 8ft wide.
140. The largest chocolate ever made was in the Netherlands; the chocolate marzipan took 3 days and weighed 4,078 lbs (1,850 kg).
141. The largest cuckoo clock made of chocolate can be found in Germany
142. Japanese women give chocolate hearts to their loved ones on February 14th. The men a month later return the gesture on “Howaito” white day.
143. In the original Psycho film, the blood in the famous shower scene was actually chocolate syrup.
144. Blue packaged chocolate doesn’t sell in Shanghai or Hong Kong, as the Chinese relate blue with death.
145. Chocolate and chili is a well-known combination, but Firebox took it a step further producing the “instant regret chili chocolate” infused with 6.4 million Scoville chili extract.
146. Napoleon always had chocolate with him; he ate it whenever he needed an energy boost.
147. When chocolate is covered in a white speckled layer, it has “bloomed”. This is caused by the fat (cocoa butter) molecules inside the chocolate over time rising to the surface and recrystallizing. Bloomed chocolate is still edible but will be dry and less flavorful.
148. More than 7 billion chocolate chips are eaten annually.
149. American author Robert Cormier wrote a novel called The Chocolate War, due to its nature the book appeared in the American Library Association's “Top 100 banned/challenged books in 2000-2009”.
150. Global production of cocoa is currently forecast to decrease for the third year in a row, 2015/16 production is expected at 4.1 million tons vs. 2014/15 production of 4.2 million tons. 2013/14 production was 4.3 million tons.
151. Chocolate producers worldwide use around 20% of the world’s peanut crops and 40% of all almonds grown.
152. Chocolate actually inspired the Microwave. Percy Spence, a scientist working on WWII radar loved chocolate. When near a magnetron, he noticed a chocolate bar in his pocket had melted. He realized magnetrons could be used to heat food quickly and discovered the microwave oven.
153. Gorging on sugar-free chocolate acts as a severe laxative. At one producer’s factory, there are buckets of defective chocolates. Each bucket has a sign warning employees of the ramifications of over-consumption.
154. Approximately 70% of the nearly $500 million spent on candy during the week leading up to Easter is for chocolate. Approximately 71 million pounds of chocolate candy are sold during the week leading up to Easter.
155. Only 48 million pounds of chocolate are sold during Valentine’s week.
156. In contrast, over 90 million pounds of chocolate candy are sold in the last week of October leading up to Halloween.
Grilled Short Ribs with Smoky Blackberry Barbecue Sauce
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Active: 45 mins, Total: 1 hr 30 mins, Yield: 4
Ingredients:
1 pound blackberries
2 teaspoons sweet pimentón de la Vera (sweet smoked paprika)
1 ½ cups of Blackberry Jam
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 medium onion, finely chopped, plus 1/4 cup minced
¼ cup tomato paste
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons seeded and minced chipotles in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped oregano, plus more for garnish
4 ½ pounds flanken-cut beef short ribs (1/3-inch thick)
Thinly sliced radishes, for garnish
Directions:
Light a grill. In a large bowl, toss the blackberries with the pimentón. Spread the berries in a perforated grill pan or in a foil pan with holes poked in it. Grill over moderately high heat, tossing, until the berries just start to burst, 3 to 5 minutes.
In a saucepan, heat the 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until just golden. Add the chopped onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened and just starting to brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until glossy, about 2 minutes. Add the blackberries, Blackberry Jam, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, chipotles, mustard, and cumin, and bring just to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring, until slightly thickened and the berries are very tender, about 20 minutes.
Transfer the sauce to a blender and let cool slightly, then puree until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, discarding the solids. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and let cool completely. Spoon 1 cup of the sauce into a bowl and stir in the minced onion, the olive oil, and the 2 tablespoons of oregano. Reserve the remaining sauce for grilled chicken or pork.
Light the grill and oil the grate. Season the ribs with salt and pepper and brush with the Blackberry Jam sauce. Grill over high heat, turning once, until nicely charred, 3 minutes. Continue to grill for 2 minutes more, turning and basting with more sauce, until glazed. Garnish the ribs with radishes and chopped oregano; serve hot.
Make-Ahead: The Blackberry Jam sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Suggested Pairing: Peppery, blackberry-rich Petite Sirah from California was practically made for sticky barbecue.
Chocolate Part 5 of 6
Saturday, April 23, 2022
~3.5 Minutes Reading Time
105. Spanish royalty gave cakes of cacao in their dowries.
106. On December 6th during the feast of St. Nicholas, children in Holland put their clogs outside at night so Santa can fill them with chocolate money.
107. July 7th is National Chocolate Day in the UK, the day marks when chocolate was first brought to Europe on July 7, 1550. Some credit Christopher Columbus with this feat in 1504.
108. International Chocolate Day is celebrated on September 13th, & some celebrate National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day on November 7th.
109. In November, Germans celebrate St. Martin (a knight who shared his cloak with a beggar) with a lantern-lit parade, sweets, & steaming hot chocolate.
110. German chocolate cake was named for Sam German, who developed a sweet bar for Baker’s Chocolate–and was not from Germany.
111. April Fool's Day in France is called "Poisson d'Avril." The word "poisson" in French translates to fish, so children enjoy a piece of fish-shaped chocolate on this day while playing pranks on one another.
112. According to the artisan chocolatiers at Amano, the process of making chocolate from cocoa beans takes about a week. Larger companies like Hershey's can make a chocolate bar in two to four days due to their larger chocolate-producing machines.
113. Chocolate contains two doses of cocoa butter—the natural amount from the bean, plus an extra dollop to bump up creaminess.
114. Cacao percentage determines the amount of cocoa bean products by weight in a chocolate.
115. “Cacao” is how you say “cocoa” in Spanish.
116. Champagne & sparkling wines are too acidic to pair well with milk or dark chocolate. Try pairing a sweet bubbly with white chocolate & red wine with dark. In general, you want to match the sweetness level of the wine with the sweetness level of the chocolate.
117. Some cocoa certification programs are modeled on success with a similar product–coffee.
118. Chocolate can make dogs & cats ill–meaning no tastings for your furry friend, & more for you.
119. According to the BBC, research found that chocolate can actually stimulate your brain & releases more endorphins in the brain than kissing does. It was also shown to increase your heart rate faster than kissing as well. Researchers believe that this is caused by chocolate's concentration of phenylethylamine, a compound that increases endorphin production in the brain.
120. The man who created the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup was a farmer, by the name of Harry Burnett Reese, who was a former shipping foreman & dairy farmer for Milton S. Hershey, the founder of Hershey’s chocolate.
121. Terry’s produce over 350 million chocolate orange segments per year. 5 tons of chocolate is enough to make 28,000 Terry’s Chocolate Oranges.
122. America's favorite chocolate brand produces millions of those bite-sized chocolates we all love daily. They are all made by machine at Hershey's factory in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It actually got its name from the sound that the chocolate makes when coming out of a machine during the manufacturing process.
123. Cadbury Creme Eggs are one of the most popular chocolate candies in the world. According to the Cadbury website, the chocolate company produces up to 1.5 million of their famous creme eggs daily, & over 500 million made per year.
124. Three Musketeers bars used to have three individually flavored bars: chocolate, vanilla, & strawberry. But they decided to drop the strawberry one when prices began to rise for the fruit & eventually turned into one large chocolate bar.
125. Andes Candies were originally called 'Andy's Candys.' The creator of the now-famous chocolate, Andrew Kanelos, was going to name them after himself originally, but changed it for a funny reason: he realized that men did not like giving their wives & girlfriends boxes of candies with another man's name on them, according to the book Chicago's Sweet Candy History by Leslie Goddard.
126. The most valuable chocolate bar in the world sold for $687. This Cadbury chocolate bar had a much pricier tag than usual, & for good reason. At the time of being sold in 2001, this bar of chocolate was 100 years old & went on Captain Robert Scott's first Discovery expedition to the Antarctic, according to Guinness World Records.
127. In a small study at Indiana University, cyclists who drank chocolate milk after a workout had less fatigue & scored higher on endurance tests than those who had a sports drink. A study published by Medicine & Sports Science found that chocolate milk can actually help athletes recover faster after exercise. The study noted that this could be due to the drink's high protein & carb ratio.
128. According to the BBC the survey conducted for the Infosecurity Europe trade show in London in 2004 found that 79 percent of people were willing to give out personal information that could be useful for identity thieves, such as birthdays & mother's maiden names, for chocolate. 70% of people would give their passwords for a chocolate bar.
129. According to the History Channel, the U.S. Census Bureau noted that during the week of Valentine's Day, more than 58 million pounds of chocolate are sold, & makes up a large percentage of yearly chocolate sold in the US.
130. The Brussels Airport is the biggest chocolate seller in the world. They sell about 800 tons of Belgian chocolate per year.
Huevos Rancheros with Raspberry Chipotle
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
Serving Size: 1
FOR THE SALSA
2 garlic cloves
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper
1 small white or yellow onion
1 tsp ground cumin
FOR THE HUEVOS
Flour tortillas
1 cup cooked black beans
1 Tbsp minced garlic
Feta or cotija cheese
1 large egg
Olive oil
½ avocado and Chopped cilantro to garnish
Raspberry Chipotle Jam
INSTRUCTIONS
MAKING THE SALSA: In a food processor or blender add tomatoes, onions, jalapeño, cumin, and garlic. Pulse a few times until ingredients are cut into small pieces (be careful not to over blend as it will turn the mix into a paste)
Transfer mix into a bowl and stir in Raspberry Chipotle Jam and set aside
In a small saucepan, add 2 Tbsp olive oil and minced garlic and stir occasionally on medium heat then add black beans, ¼ cup water, reduce to a low heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes then set aside
Place a sauté or frying pan over high heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and cook the tortillas – one at a time – until slightly golden
Using the same pan, add a tsp of olive oil or butter, crack in a fresh egg and cook over medium-low heat until egg white is fully opaque and the yolk is golden for a perfect sunnyside up finish
To assemble: place the tortillas on a plate and top with black beans. Add 2 spoonfuls of salsa and sliced avocado. Crumble your choice of feta or cotija cheese and top with the sunnyside egg.
For a delicious smokey, spicy finish, drizzle Raspberry Chipotle Jam over your Huevos Rancheros and sprinkle with chopped cilantro
Serve immediately and Enjoy!
Chocolate Part 4 of 6
Friday, April 22, 2022
~2.5 Minutes Reading Time
79. Red M&Ms are among the most popular today, but in the 1970’s, they were replaced with orange pieces for almost ten years. This was the result of a study which stated that red food dye was linked to cancers.
80. Ben & Jerry's made the first cookie dough ice cream. According to Ben & Jerry's website, the ice cream aficionados created the flavor after an anonymous suggestion was sent into their shop in 1984. They spent six years perfecting the ice cream before finally releasing it, and it became the massive hit it is today.
81. In 2008, Thorntons in London created the world’s largest box of chocolates at 16.5 feet tall and 11.5 feet wide. The box contained over 220,000 chocolates and weighed 4,805 pounds. Previously, the record was held by Marshall Field’s in Chicago with a box containing 90,090 Frango mint chocolates and weighing a whopping 3,326 pounds.
82. In 2013, Belgium issued a limited edition of chocolate flavored stamps.
83. Rudolph Lindt designed the first conching machine, its bed curved like a conch shell.
84. Contrary to popular belief, mice actually prefer chocolate over cheese every time! Mice love sweet smelling food so they would be more tempted by a piece of chocolate than a chunk of cheddar.
85. The History Channel noted that the chocolate industry bloomed into one of the most successful businesses in the world. Each year, the chocolate industry makes over $110 billion in sales around the world.
86. Chocolate has evolved into such a massive industry that between 40 and 50 million people depend on cacao for their livelihood. Over 3.8 million tons of cacao beans are produced per year.
87. Each cacao tree produces approximately 2,500 beans.
88. Because cacao trees are so delicate, farmers lose, on average, 30 percent of their crop each year.
89. There are an estimated 1.5 million cocoa farms in West Africa.
90. Most cocoa–70 percent–hails from West Africa.
91. Cocoa is raised by hand, on small, family-owned farms.
Assorted mixed chocolates. Chocolate bars, cocoa nibs, powdered cocoa, spreads, bon bons, truffles,
92. Cacao leaves can move 90 degrees, from horizontal to vertical, to get sun and to protect younger leaves.
93. Some cacao trees are more than 200 years old, but most give marketable cocoa beans for only the first 25 years.
94. Nearly all cacao trees grow within 20 degrees of the equator, and 75% grow within 8 degrees of either side of it. Cacao trees grow in three main regions: West Africa, South and Central America, and Southeast Asia/Oceania
95. The average size of a cocoa farm in West Africa is 7 to 10 acres.
96. Cote d’Ivoire is the single largest producer of cocoa, providing roughly 40 percent of the world’s supply.
97. Through some programs supported by industry and partners including foundations and governments, farmers are now earning between 20 percent and 55 percent more from their crops.
98. Most cocoa farms are not owned by the companies that make chocolate.
99. The price of cocoa can fluctuate daily–affecting farmers’ incomes.
100. The average West African cocoa family has eight members.
101. A farmer must wait four to five years for a cacao tree to produce its first beans.
102. In addition to tending cacao trees, family members may harvest bananas or other fruit crops.
103. Worldwide, 40 million to 50 million people depend upon cocoa for their livelihood.
104. An Indonesian cocoa farming community built a giant statue of hands holding a cocoa pod.
Pimento Cheeseburgers with Bacon Jam
Monday, April 18, 2022
Total: 45 mins, Yield: 4
A heavenly bacon cheeseburger. The pimento cheese and sweet Bacon Jam both melt into one dreamy, messy bite—this is not a burger for the faint of palate.
PIMENTO CHEESE:
6 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
1-ounce cream cheese (2 tablespoons), at room temperature
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup drained and chopped jarred pimientos
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1 tablespoon Habanero Jelly
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
BURGERS:
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck, preferably 20% fat
Kosher salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 potato rolls, split and toasted
Sliced dill pickles and thinly sliced scallions, for serving
Bacon Jam
Directions:
Make the pimento cheese. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients.
Make the burgers. Form the beef into four ¾-inch-thick patties and season with salt and pepper. In a large cast-iron skillet set on the grate of a preheated grill or on the stovetop, heat the oil. Cook the burgers over moderate heat until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook, covered, until browned and medium-rare, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a work surface and let rest for 5 minutes.
Place a burger on each roll's bottom. Top with some of the pimento cheese, Bacon Jam, sliced pickles, and scallions. Close the burgers and serve.
Chocolate Part 3 of 6
Thursday, April 14, 2022
~3.5 Minutes Reading Time
53. The spread of chocolate from Spain throughout Europe began in the sixteenth century with the expulsion of Jews from Spain and Portugal during the Inquisition. Some Jews who left Spain brought with them Spain’s secrets of processing chocolate.
54. From 1500 to 1900, Europeans documented 100-plus medical uses for chocolate, including treatment of dysentery, gout, fever, seizures, anemia, vision difficulties, urinary problems, and intimacy issues.
55. In 17th century Mexico someone suffered death by chocolate. Poison was injected into chocolate, killing a Spanish Bishop who banned the consumption of chocolate during church services. The Catholic Church once associated chocolate with heretical behavior, including blasphemy, extortion, witchcraft, seduction, as well as being an observant Jew.
56. The Natural History Museum found that chocolate milk was invented in the early 1700s in Jamaica by Irish botanist Sir Hans Sloane. The natives of the land gave him straight cocoa to drink, but could only stomach it when he mixed it with milk, according to the museum's research.
57. In 1730s Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin’s legendary print shop sold bibles, stationary tools, writing implements, handmade parchment, and one consumable — a drinkable chocolate. In Franklin’s colonial America, liquid cacao was nearly as popular as coffee and tea, but this drink was not your grandma’s hot chocolate — it was thick, strong, quite bitter, and contained no sugar.
58. Thirty-one years later, Franklin, writing under the alias Richard Saunders, touted chocolate as a cure for smallpox in his Poor Richard’s Almanac, colonial America’s most popular publication. He was not proven correct, however, as no sure cure for smallpox was ever found. (Twentieth-century vaccines did manage to eradicate the disease by 1980.)
59. Cornell University reports that in 1753 Swedish physician Carl Linnaeus gave the cacao tree its botanical name, Theobroma cacao, which is Greek for “cacao, food of the gods.” Linnaeus, who originated taxonomy — the manner of naming and classifying all organisms — did not reference the divine this plainly in any other species names he dreamt up.
60. The first machine-made chocolate was produced in Barcelona, Spain, in 1780.
61. When English Buccaneers overran a Spanish ship loaded with cacao beans, they set it on fire, thinking the beans were sheep dung.
62. Some scholars link the growing popularity of chocolate houses in Europe, such