I have been on a bit of a gourmet “mail order” kick lately and ordered some apricot jam from Valerie Confections in Los Angeles. Pantry & Goods - Valerie Confections I would say it is the best jam I have ever had. While I’m perfectly satisfied with it, I was wondering if there are other great non-supermarket jams out there for me to try.
I also just ordered some of this stuff from Yakima Washington https://ayakoandfamily.com/?country=US and am awaiting delivery, but wondering if there is anything else out there that is absolutely amazing. I was intrigued by Ayako because they have Damson plum jam which I have never tried.
Is Sqirl jam amazing? I know they had some mold problems a few years back.
Thanks to all for these suggestions which I will try when I run out of my current stash. In the meantime, my Ayako and Family jams arrived from Washington state and were quite the disappointment after the amazing Valerie Confections jam. Just tasted flat, sweet and one note as compared to the Valerie jam. My research indicates that the culprit is pectin – the Ayako jams are made with pectin and the Valerie jams are not – and that a jam with pectin will never have the same depth of flavor as one without.
I also located and ordered some Christine Ferber jams from Kermit Lynch and will report back when they arrive. I think that is the only place to get them in the U.S. and I don’t think they use pectin.
Alas I think you are right and all the Ferber jams have pectin. As I understand it, pectin allows for a quicker cook, which can affect flavor, but there is probably a lot more to jam making then I understand. All I know if the Valerie apricot is the best jam I have ever tasted and I will have to wait and see if the Ferber comes anywhere close.
Not sure what I am going to do with all this jam. I’ve fallen trap to “this is the best thing I have ever eaten” – i.e., the Valerie apricot jam – “so now I must waste tons of money seeing if there is anything better out there.”
The Christine Ferber jam arrived – black currant. It was objectively good, although I don’t think any fruit has the depth of flavor of black currant, so maybe hard to screw up a black currant jam. Very, very thick and jelly like. I think I will probably experiment using it as part of a “grown up” peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I still think the Valerie jam is better, and so I don’t think it is worth it seeking out the Ferber and paying the very high price for a jar (probably due to tariffs and U.S. scarcity). And I could have done without the stupid patterned “bonnet” and ribbon it came topped with, but those were quickly discarded. You say charming French “country.” I say twee.
My jam journey continues. On reevaluation, I decided that if I were given Christine Ferber jam and Bonne Maman supermarket jam in a blind taste test, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.
I acquired some Sqirl jam – not bad and not too sugary. Of all the jams I have tasted lately, I would put the Squirl jam in second place after the Valerie Confections jam. At the suggestion of @helen_s , I have ordered some Saba jam. If that doesn’t blow me away, I think it will be all Valerie Confections jam going forward.
Not a fancy jam by any means, but one of my absolute favorites for texture and flavor: Mountain Fruit Co: Products – Made in California My favorites are Rhubarb Berry and Sour Pour and Marionberry. Divine jams!
