Strawberry revolution

We're so happy spring came and brought it's friend summer! It's finally fruit season and we are actively designing some fun seasonal flavors that you can taste at upcoming markets and events (like the UnFancy Food Show on June 27).

This week? Strawberries of course! I went upstate and got some from the great folks at "Story Farm" in Catskill. They're a small farm with a little stand on the side of the road, not big enough to truck their wares down to the big city. They have well tended, much loved fruit with great flavor.

What did we make? Strawberry Preserves with Chocolate Mint & Pink Peppercorns.  It's so delicious that we kept eating the skimmed foam and giggling in the kitchen of Chestnut where I cook alongside Carla the pastry chef and my summer jam apprentice, Emma (you can see her hard at work above). Chocolate mint (mentha piperita cv.) is a variety of mint that neither smells nor tastes like chocolate per se, but is reminiscent of an Andes after-dinner chocolate. It's awesome in the jam, and the pink peppercorns add a spicy peppery note that comes after the mint flavor and gives the taste-buds that extra awesome jolt.

Also on the menu is Strawberry Preserves with Thai Basil. Thai Basil has a great flavor, a little hit of anise and a little sweeter than regular basil, it's perfect with strawberries. This stuff is amazing on ice cream.

Fruit is here, the summer has begun, all is well in the jamarchy. Hallelujah! We'll be jammin' like crazy for the next few months, and loving it.