Summer Berry Jams!

The past few weeks in Oakland have been quite warm -- but we knew it was summer a month ago. How? The arrival of summer berries, of course!

Strawberry Square 150x150 Summer Berry Jams!Strawberries are first to appear on the scene as the weather warms up. Their distinctly bright, sweet flavor lends itself perfectly to jam; we've mixed it up this year by adding blackberries for tartness and rose geranium to emphasize the floral side of strawberry. A truly delightful early summer berry jam, Strawberry-Blackberry Jam with Rose Geranium is full of strawberry flavor with the slightest edge.

Red Raspberry Square 150x150 Summer Berry Jams!If strawberry is the social butterfly of summer berries, raspberry is its feisty cousin. Raspberries are closely related to blackberries, and make some of our most popular jams, favored for their tart flavor and striking fuchsia color. We've accented the zingy taste of raspberry in our Rhubarb & Red Raspberry Jam; check back later this summer for our Black Raspberry Jam.

Tayberry Square 150x150 Summer Berry Jams!Combine a black raspberry with a loganberry (itself a blackberry-red raspberry hybrid) and you'll get a tayberry. We love tayberries for their sophisticated vibrant flavor; marrying the tartness of summer berries with the deep sweetness of blackberry, tayberry jam is a fleeting joy of early Summer. The most regal berry jam out there, Tayberry Jam sells out quickly no matter how much we make!

Olallieberries Square1 150x150 Summer Berry Jams!A truly unique California blackberry, olallieberries are the most precious berries of summer! Olallieberries are a genetic mish-mash of blackberries and raspberries, and are an elegant berries with a deep purple color. Olallieberry Jam is hard to beat for its assertive sweet and tart flavor like nothing else we've tasted. For blackberry jam lovers, Olallieberry Jam provides an authentic taste of California.

Boysenberry Square 150x150 Summer Berry Jams!Fans of tart berry jam will swoon over what we've done with boysenberries. Another berry mutt (a combination of raspberry, blackberry, and loganberry), boysenberry has a strong tart flavor which, while distinctive, can be overpowering. We let it sing in our Boysenberry-Strawberry Jam while softening it slightly with the sweet taste of strawberry. Full of sass, this jam is one of our favorites!

We hope you'll try each of our berry jams, and keep an eye out for new berry flavors as summer progresses! If the weather behaves, we'll be making Black Raspberry Jam later this summer, as well as Nightfall Blackberry Jam. YUM.

 

by Blue Chair Fruit, June 27th, 2011
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A Bourbon’d Father’s Day

Here's what your dad wants for Father's Day: Jam. And marmalade. And bourbon.

Fathers Day Bourbon A Bourbond Fathers Day

Our Father's Day Bourbon Two-Pack is just the ticket! This power combo of our Spiced Bourbon-Tomato Conserve and Bourbon'd Lemon Marmalade offers the manliest preserves we have. Talk about a killer breakfast!

Why give your dad a tie or power tools when you can give the gift of tasty food? Our Spiced-Bourbon Tomato Conserve is the secret ingredient for an awesome grilled cheese or BLT, and Bourbon'd Lemon Marmalade is like a whiskey sour, but better because it spreads on toast!

We can guarantee Father's Day delivery if we receive your order by 3PM PST this Wednesday, June 13, when you select USPS Priority shipping!

Is your dad a true jam fiend? He might like: A 6-Month Jam Club membership, our Marmalade Lover's Gift Pack, or a Mauviel copper jam pan to make his own preserves!

by Blue Chair Fruit, June 13th, 2011
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We’re Having a Tea Party!

Invite Page Were Having a Tea Party!

Click for more information!

To RSVP: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1793330901

by Blue Chair Fruit, June 9th, 2011
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The BCF Kitchen: Peach Season

Our first peach jam of the year has arrived: Bourbon'd Peach-Apple Jam.

Peaches have made their first appearance at our kitchens, heralding the return of summer. To say we are happy is an understatement; as we welcome these fruits back to our office and kitchen, they infuse the air with their sweet fragrance, a gentle reminder that summer has arrived.

Skinned Blossom Bluff The BCF Kitchen: Peach Season

While living with the smell of peaches is easy, working with them can prove difficult. The peaches must be blanched and skinned, a process that takes an entire cooking shift most days. And the work doesn't stop there; if the peaches are clingstone, removing their pit is no easy task, and the flesh of each skinned peach must be carefully cut from its stone.

Jo Peaches Skinned The BCF Kitchen: Peach Season

Our first spoonful of peach jam makes the long hours of work fade from memory. Each variety of peach offers its own flavor profile, but they are all a beacon of sunny days to come: gently sweet and  bright, and full of nostalgic memories from last year's June. Rows and rows of peaches in our kitchen, each resembling a tiny sun, will be made into jam that can be savored long after the balmy summer months have passed.

Peaches Trays The BCF Kitchen: Peach Season

The first peach jam of the year is no different. Our Bourbon'd Peach-Apple Jam flirts with the best of summer flavors: the subtle sweetness of peaches and apples receive a generous splash of bourbon to highlight their warmth. This rosy jam has been delighting us each morning, filling us with warmth whether or not the Northern California sun decides to show its face. We think you'll fall in love with this jam as much as we have!

by Blue Chair Fruit, June 9th, 2011
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Rhubarb Jam is Here!

The arrival of rhubarb heralds the beginning of Spring; its vibrant red stalks offer the first hints of color after a long winter, and its sassy sour flavor helps energize foggy days.

Rhubarb Stalks Rhubarb Jam is Here!

We're never patient awaiting the return of rhubarb, as it marks the official beginning of jam season. This year is no different. Our first jam of the year, Rhubarb Jam with Plum Brandy & Ginger emphasizes our favorite aspects of rhubarb: Of course, its supreme tartness, accented with plum brandy, and we couldn't resist incorporating a few handfuls of candied ginger to add an extra zip. Grated apples meld perfectly with rhubarb for a tart bite and the hottest pink jam we've ever made!

Rachel Cooks Rhubarb Rhubarb Jam is Here!

In order to fully encapsulate the personality of rhubarb, we cut the stalks into very large pieces; this ensures that the finished jam offers glimpses of fresh rhubarb. We delight in cooking this jam, watching stalks of rhubarb break down and shift from bright red to hot pink as the jam cooks.

Rhubarb Twists Rhubarb Jam is Here!

We've been enjoying this beautiful jam on our morning toast, spread on pound cake, or paired with whole wheat scones. Kate was moved to incorporate them into the jam straws you see above! We can think of no better way to celebrate the arrival of Spring than with this truly delightful preserve full of the personality of rhubarb!

by Blue Chair Fruit, May 17th, 2011
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Marmalade Sighting – SF Botanical Gardens

Marmalade Bush1 495x371 Marmalade Sighting SF Botanical Gardens

by Blue Chair Fruit, May 10th, 2011
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3 Classic Jam Pairings

The most frequent questions we receive (other than "What's the difference between jam and marmalade?") are from people wondering how one enjoys jam or marmalade other than on toast -- or maybe on scones at teatime. While there is surely no better start to the morning than your favorite jam on toast, preserves have myriad applications beyond bread or baked goods!

How to Enjoy Jam in a Healthy Breakfast

Morning oatmeal is a fiber-filled way to begin the day. We've come to love our morning oatmeal with a generous helping of our Cranberry Jam with Pluots & Vanilla. Whole cranberries add a delightful tartness to this wholesome breakfast, while pluots help add a bit of necessary sweetness. While this combination is fantastic with steel-cut oats, it's a fantastic way to take quick-cook oats from so-so to stellar.

Oatmeal CranPluot Wide 3 Classic Jam Pairings

Why Jam Has Its Place at Lunchtime

Who says jam needs to have only sweet applications? One of our favorite lunches is a grilled cheese sandwich -- with Spiced Bourbon-Tomato Conserve. Tomatoes add a bit of sweetness to complement your favorite cheese (we love a nice sharp cheddar), and the added candied ginger in this conserve brings a bit of surprise. An easy way to take your sandwich to an entirely different level!

Grilled Cheese BT Wide 3 Classic Jam Pairings

How to Make a Quick and Easy Jam Dessert

Rachel in particular really loves this next one: tasty toast with a smear of ricotta and a dollop (or two) of Strawberry-Rose Jam. Add a few twists of black pepper and you have a light, sophisticated snack. YUM.

Ricotta StrawRose 3 Classic Jam Pairings

What unique and non-traditional jam or marmalade pairings have you been enjoying lately?

by Blue Chair Fruit, May 2nd, 2011
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Jam Club for Mom

We're still offering our Mother's Day gift packs, but we know you may want to give your mom something even more special that she can continue enjoy through the year!

Our Jam Club is the perfect gift for your Mom! We'll send her one jar each of three of our favorite flavors in every shipment; you can gift her 6 months of preserves (3 shipments total) or a whole year of jam and marmalade (6 shipments total)! Note her email address in your gift message upon checkout and we'll be sure to notify her -- by Mother's Day -- of your generous gift!

Jam Club April 495x245 Jam Club for Mom

Our last shipment was one jar each of: Strawberry-Rose Jam, Seven-Citrus Marmalade, and Orange-Kumquat Marmalade with Cardamom. We frequently send flavors in the Jam Club that are not available on our website, so this is the best way to ensure your mother gets the best preserves we have to offer. Read more about our Jam Club options here!

by Blue Chair Fruit, April 26th, 2011
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Mother’s Day Gift Specials

Mother's Day is coming up! For those of you who panicked upon reading that sentence, you can relax; Mother's Day is May 8, 2011, so you have some time to plan. While we can no longer guarantee Mother's Day delivery, we're still happy to send some jam to your darling mother!

Blue Chair Fruit is offering two special gift packs for Mother's Day this year. For the mom who can't get enough jam and marmalade, we have two of our favorite flavors in a jam two-pack: Strawberry-Rose Jam and Dancy Tangerine Preserves. Both of these preserves have the right sweet balance (just like your mom, we're sure), and we think they're the perfect indulgence for breakfast or tea-time. The set of these two jars is $22, and we'd love to include a special gift note for you!

MDay 2Pack Wide2 Mothers Day Gift Specials

Our Blue Chair Fruit Apron + Jam Gift Set is a great gift for moms who can't get enough time in the kitchen. Designed exclusively for us, this stylish apron features charming cap sleeves, a waist tie, and generous pockets; who says kitchen attire needs to be frumpy? We'll send your mom an apron of her very own, with our signature chairs screen-printed on a pocket, as well as a jar of our Strawberry-Rose Jam! The Apron & Jam Gift Set is $45, and is sure to make your mom pleased as punch!

Mothers Day Mothers Day Gift Specials

Treat your mom to something extra special this Mother's Day with one of these gift sets, or choose from any of our 20 current flavors! Because everyone knows that nothing says "I love you" more than delicious jam. Or marmalade.

by Blue Chair Fruit, April 20th, 2011
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New Shipping Options

Blue Chair Fruit now has even more shipping options for your convenience!

BCF box NYC wide New Shipping Options

Customers in the Blue Chair Fruit store may now select FedEx Ground upon checkout -- this is a bit less expensive than the USPS Priority we've been using. If you feel like you can stand a longer wait for your jam (2-8 business days), then this is your best option! Of course, we still use USPS Priority, and have a few FedEx Express options for your last-minute jam needs.

Just a reminder that we generally process orders Monday through Friday. Any Express order received by 3pm will be processed that day. We are unable to process orders on weekends.

Here's to cheaper jam shipping!

by Blue Chair Fruit, April 18th, 2011
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