On the Menu...

Blackberry-Earl Grey Jam

Today we're featuring this jam on our biscuit sandwich known affectionately as the:

Spring Fling
black pepper-buttermilk biscuit with fried egg, bacon, blackberry-earl grey jam and goat cheese

This jam rules for many reasons, but in my opinion it's the way the citrus and bergamot from the tea compliment the blackberries that really set this jam off. The pairing is subtle but oh-so-profound. We use Foxfire Teas' Earl Grey, as it is, again in my humble opinion, the best Earl Grey tea out there, not to mention we can't help but love this local company and the wondrous Quinn and Katherine who run it. In fact, it was Quinn and Katherine who first gave us the idea to use their tea in our cooking, when they paired up with our friends from Two Tarts Bakery to make Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies for the holidays.
That's when the light went off. We've always liked Earl Grey tea but there's something special about Foxfire's. The flavor seems uber concentrated and I love the way the citrus oils seep into the brown bag the tea is delivered in. As many of you know, I often force customers to smell this tea before tasting it because it really is that good. Seriously, the aromatics speak for themselves so ask me for a whiff next time you're in. I had a customer tell me two weeks ago that his favorite thing to do with this jam is to spoon it over vanilla ice cream. Um yeah, can you say delicious? I think I can speak for the group when I say, thanks for the great idea!