Preservation Society is featured in our Cheese+ 2017 issue.
This might be the sugar talking, but no matter: Whether jam, jelly, conserve, or marmalade, there’s no better partner than preserved fruits for wheels and wedges of all sorts. Our annual Cheese+ pairings issue seemed like the perfect place to showcase some of our favorites, classic and newfangled alike, from creative makers around the country. Go ahead—spread it on thick.
Apple Caramel Preserves
Rare Bird Preserves
Chunky-cut apples add texture to caramelly preserves.
PAIR WITH: Queso Manchego PDO
Muscadine Grape Jam
Farmer’s Daughter
It’s the stuff of grown-up PB&J dreams: super-grapey with ginger and rosemary taming the sweetness. Act like an adult and slather it on a ricotta-topped multi-grain slice.
PAIR WITH: Fruition Farms Sheep’s Milk Ricotta
Meyer Lemon Marmalade
Eleanor’s Best
With bright acidity and an even brighter hue, this cheerful marmalade will perk up your curds.
PAIR WITH: Vermont Creamery Coupole
Grapefruit & Smoked Salt Marmalade
Anarchy in a Jar
Smoked salt balances out grapefruit’s bitterness in this intriguing savory-sweet marmalade, tailor-made for a sheep’s milk cheese.
PAIR WITH: Ossau-Iraty PDO
Papaya Vanilla Jam
Monkey Pod Jam
A silky, sultry spread for your morning toast, made even better with a swirl of creamy mascarpone.
PAIR WITH: BelGioioso Cheese Mascarpone
Calamondin & Saffron Preserves
Lemon Bird Preserves
Calamondins, a cross between kumquats and mandarin oranges, are suspended in saffron syrup in these sophisticated, lip-puckering preserves.
PAIR WITH: Brillat-Savarin PGI
Coconut Mango Jam
Bonnie’s Jams
This smooth confection will bring the tropical vibes to your next party platter.
PAIR WITH: Fromagerie l’Amuse/Essex Street Cheese Co. Black Betty
Chokecherry Jelly
HeathGlen Farm & Kitchen
A sparkling, tart red spread (in adorable old-fashioned packaging), reminiscent of high-end cranberry sauce.
PAIR WITH: Thistle Hill Farm Tarentaise
Tomato Tapas Jam
Three Little Figs
You may be tempted to eat this ubersavory stuff straight from the jar, but save it for cocktail hour; the umami-rich tomato base cries out for grassy, smoky sheep’s milk cheese.
PAIR WITH: Idiazábal PDO
Raspberry Mostarda with Vermont Ice Cider
Blake Hill Preserves
Developed with the folks at Jasper Hill Farm, Blake Hill’s berry-forward spread has a touch of heat from mustard powder that draws out similar notes in the creamery’s famed bloomy-rind wheel.
PAIR WITH: Jasper Hill Farm Harbison
Pretty Spicy Fresno Chili Jam
INNA Jam
Fiery in both looks and flavor, these preserves delightfully straddle tart, sweet, and spicy.
PAIR WITH: Fresh chèvre
Shiro Plum with Mint Spoon Preserves
Girl Meets Dirt
Diminutive and tart, Shiro plums translate beautifully into jam, especially when enlivened with mint from the maker’s kitchen garden.
PAIR WITH: Coach Farm Rawstruck
Fig Sweet Onion + Rosemary Jam
Sallie’s Greatest
A mélange that reminds us of all the sweet-savory flavors found on the Thanksgiving table.
PAIR WITH: Rogue Creamery Rogue River Blue
Yellow Tomato Peach Jam
Sweet Deliverance
A brilliant, balanced mash-up of ripe summer tomatoes and peaches.
PAIR WITH: Luigi Guffanti Robiola Tre Latti
Cherry Chai
Stagg Jam & Marmalade
This spiced concoction dovetails nicely with the meaty, mashed potato notes in Abbaye de Belloc.
PAIR WITH: Abbaye de Belloc
Red Haven Peach Preserves
American Spoon
Tender, perfumed, and chunky—this is summer in a jar.
PAIR WITH: Maplebrook Farm Burrata
Pineapple Vanilla Bean Jam
Home Ec. Preserves
This golden-hued, vanilla-flecked treat draws out the soft caramel notes of aged cheddar.
PAIR WITH: Cellars at Jasper Hill Cabot Clothbound
Strawberry Chili Shiraz
Jammit Jams
Peak-season strawberries have a delicacy that’s tough to capture in a jar, but this mix of whole fruit and red wine nails it, with the added bonus of lingering heat on the finish.
PAIR WITH: Brie de Meaux PDO
Nothin’ But Blue Skies Conserve
Doves & Figs
This conserve gets its deep violet hue not only from the blueberries but also from the added port wine.
PAIR WITH: Milton Creamery Flory’s Truckle
Moro Blood Orange & Tonga Vanilla Bean Marmalade
SQIRL
Packed with supertender blood orange rind, this sunny confiture will transport you straight to La-La-Land.
PAIR WITH: Calabro Cheese Corp. Ricotta di Bufala
Spiced Marionberry Fruit Spread
Mt. Hope Farms
These vibrant, plummy preserves—made from Oregon marionberries—are studded with warm spice and are pitch-perfect with a range of cheeses from Alpine styles to bloomy rinds.
PAIR WITH: Mt. Townsend Creamery Seastack
Prickly Purple Heart Jam
Friend in Cheeses Jam Co.
This spunky spiced confection made from opuntia—a.k.a. prickly pears—is part of the California company’s Drought Responsibility Project line (featuring fruits that thrive without much water).
PAIR WITH: Langres PDO
Apricot & Vanilla Jam
Crosstown Sweets
Warm vanilla notes tame apricot’s tangy edges in these lush preserves bursting with big chunks of fruit.
PAIR WITH: Camembert de Normandie PDO
Pomegranate Jelly
PEJU
The little pomegranate arils in this zippy Golden State creation add nice textural contrast to a creamy, mellow blue.
PAIR WITH: Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company Original Blue
Raspberry Rose Preserves
Quince & Apple
A blossomy aroma permeates this lovely fruit and flower blend.
PAIR WITH: Comté PDO
Leigh Belanger
Leigh Belanger is culture's former food editor. She's been a food writer, editor, and project manager for over a decade— serving as program director for Chefs Collaborative and contributing to local newspapers and magazines. Her first book, The Boston Homegrown Cookbook, was published in 2012. She lives and cooks in Boston with her family.
