Sure, Georgia is the “Peach State.” But did you know Georgia leads the nation in blueberry production? Fresh blueberry season has started with berries grown in south Georgia starting to show up in Atlanta farmers markets and grocery stores. Enjoy them fresh and try these Georgia-made products, too.
Regina’s Farm Kitchen Strawberry Blueberry Jalapeno Jam
This award-winning jam from Dunwoody farm chef Regina Nekola Hild just won a 2018 Good Food Award, given for products that are delicious, authentic and responsibly produced. The jam's rich purple color comes the Georgia-grown strawberries and blueberries. When you open the jar you definitely smell the jalapeno but the combination of fruit and pepper is rich without overpowering heat. Visit a local farmers market and you just might find Hild at her booth giving out samples of her preserves and talking with shoppers about her products and the new flavors she’s considering. Use this jam with the tried-and-true cream cheese and crackers or try it as a finishing glaze for grilled chicken or pork.
$9.75 per 9.5-ounce jar. Available at the Kennesaw State University, Alpharetta and Dunwoody farmers markets or online at http://reginasfarmkitchen.com .
Olympus Greek Mountain Blueberry Citrus Tea
Credit: Yvonne Zusel
Credit: Yvonne Zusel
Olympus Greek Mountain Teas just won the beverage category of the 2018 Flavor of Georgia contest with their organic Greek iced tea flavored with blueberries and citrus. Several years ago Lawrenceville residents Chappelle and Antonios Sparages had plans to run a food truck business. They started making tea from for themselves and to serve on the truck, then turned that tea into a business. Greek mountain tea is traditionally served hot, but they turned tradition on its head to meet the South’s thirst for delicious iced tea. The result is fruity and sweet, but not overly sweet. It’s totally refreshing. We tried the Strawberry Lemonade, too. Also delicious. The tea is naturally decaffeinated so drink all you want!
Available at Grecian Gyro in Dunwoody, Farmview Market in Madison, the Buford Highway Farmers Market and through AmazonFresh. http://olympusgreekteas.com .
Ol’ Geechee’s BBQ Sauce with blueberries
Barbecue sauce made with blueberries? Believe us, blueberries are just the ingredient your barbecue sauce has been missing. Kenny Dasher of Hog Waller BBQ in Hoboken, Georgia, comes from a long line of folks who cook barbecue “Southern-style.” He owned barbecue restaurants but then one day decided to concentrate on barbecue sauce. He makes several styles and two are made with blueberries, Sweet Blue and Blue Heaven. We really enjoyed them both. Sweet Blue is his latest creation, a thinner sauce where the blueberry flavor comes through clearly. Blue Heaven is thicker and was named the 2012 best barbecue sauce in the Flavor of Georgia competition. Both carry a little heat, but because they’re not overwhelmingly hot, were enjoyed by all our tasters.
$7 per 18-ounce bottle. Available at Farmview Market in Madison, Chester's Provisions in Blue Ridge and online at http://hogwallerbbq.com .
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