It's probably no surprise that we LOVE our fruit jams! We love them so much that we've introduced three flavors of mixed-fruit jams in our core collection, and regularly rotate in seasonal flavors. Our jams are our #1 selling item at farmers markets, so we're constantly making (and using) them!
Now, while we know it's highly traditional to use jams as a spread for breads, pastries, and baked goods, this doesn't fully do this product justice as jams are so versatile. And Sweet Kee's jams are far from traditional. All of our core jams incorporate multiple fruit flavors, although we occasionally offer single fruit flavors seasonally, like our holiday "Dirty Peach" jam which combines peaches with some of your favorite holiday spices (think cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice). Since our jams are not-so-traditional, we thought we'd offer you a snapshot of our favorite not-so-traditional ways of enjoying fruit jams.
1. Fruit Vinaigrette: Fruit jams make a deliciously refreshing ingredient in fruit vinaigrettes as a salad dressing, marinade, fruit dip, or basting sauce. For a quick and easy recipe, try whisking together 1/4 cup of your choice of fruit jam, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp dijon mustard, and sea salt and black pepper to taste. Once combined, add in 1/4 cup olive oil and continue whisking until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
2. BBQ Sauce: Take your bbq to new heights with a fruit jam infused bbq sauce. For an easy option, simply mix equal parts fruit jam and your favorite bbq sauce, and season with salt and/or garlic powder to taste, heating as needed to incorporate the jam. For a from scratch version, combine in a small saucepan 3/4 cup jam, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tsp ginger (fresh or ground), and 1/4 tsp pepper. Bring to a boil, then stir continually for another 2-3 min until brown sugar is dissolved fully. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes to thicken. Use immediately or refrigerate until you are ready to use.
3. Jam Cocktail: This one should be no surprise considering it's clear we LOVE our cocktails also, so of course we combine them with our jams! We find that jams work great in shaken and muddled cocktails. For a simple recipe, combine in a cocktail shaker 2 oz of the spirit of your choice with 1-1.5 tbsp fruit jam of your choice, and 2-3 dashes of bitters (or for a sour version also add ¾ oz lemon juice). Add ice and shake for 10-12 seconds. Strain into a chilled glass with or without ice. If you're using Sweet Kee's jams, and are unsure where to start, our Strawberry Mango and Dirty Peach jams work great paired with gin, whiskey or aged spirits, while Tropical Jam pairs well with rum (we especially love pairing this with coconut rum!), and Peach Berry pairs well with gin or vodka.
4. Meat Glaze: Fruit jams add sweetness and flavor to meats when used as a glaze and are very easy to incorporate. Simply mix your jam with a small amount of water to thin it out, and use as a glaze on top of pork, chicken, or other fowl.
5. Grilled Sandwich Ingredient: Ok, we saved this one for last because...well, we've been told we're crazy for this one. But we stand by it. Hear us out: the next time you're in the mood for a grilled cheese sandwich, try adding a layer of fruit jam on one inner side of bread before grilling. We also recommend this with fried egg sandwiches. The sweet and savory combination is just...amazing. You can thank us later 😊
Sweet Kee's core jam flavors include: Peach Berry, Strawberry Mango, and Tropical. Shop all of Sweet Kee's jams online at www.sweetkees.com.