Time to branch out from grape and strawberry with these three condiments.
Confit of violet flowers from Persian Basket
Max Lotfi and Arezoo Armaghan are the owners of Persian Basket Kitchen & Bar in Johns Creek, and persianbasket.com, where you can choose from hundreds of items from Iran and the countries that have influenced its cuisine. We went shopping in their virtual aisle of jams and honeys, and from the almost five dozen choices we selected the confit of violet flowers made by French jam maker L’Epicurien. This intensely floral jelly is amazing, like consuming the essence of spring. If you’re a fan of tea-time treats, this is what you want to be spreading on a tiny scone, or using to sweeten that hot cup of tea. There also are confits of jasmine, lavender and rose petals from the same company.
$11.58 per 4.41-ounce jar. Available at persianbasket.com.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Kiwi mostarda from the Buttery
Most of us know kiwis as fuzzy fruits about the size and shape of an egg — with bright green interiors speckled with little black seeds — that come from Asia and New Zealand. But, did you know there’s a hardy kiwi just about the size of a large grape? Those are the kiwis that the Buttery sources from Decatur farmer Bobby Britt and uses to make kiwi mostarda, a sweet condiment with just a little bit of kick. Mostardas are an Italian creation of candied fruit in a mustard-flavored syrup, and sometimes can be bitingly hot, but not this version. It’s sweet, but, with the addition of mustard seeds and vinegar, it’s savory, as well. The perfect addition to a cheese plate, we’ve also been enjoying it as a side to pork chops, and on our breakfast toast.
$11 for a 7.75-ounce jar. Available at butteryatl.com.
Credit: handout
Credit: handout
Beautyberry jelly from Duluth Cottage Kitchen
Beautyberries are the fruit of Callicarpa americana, a native shrub that bears clusters of bright purple berries in the fall. (There’s a white-berried variety, as well.) In addition to being a beautiful addition to the fall garden, these berries are edible, though usually it’s just the squirrels and birds that enjoy them. Eva Kuhn of Duluth Cottage Kitchen has been beating the wildlife to the berry harvest at her small urban farm, and just finished cooking a new batch of beautyberry jelly. Our jar of jelly was deep purple, and lightly spiced. She sells it along with other jellies, such as scuppernong and dandelion, as well as the vegetables and fruits she grows in a garden that she describes as “tiny.” It’s worth visiting her Suwanee Farmers Market booth, just to see what she has available. Recently, she was offering corkscrew beans and pineapple guavas.
$6 per 8-ounce jar. Available at the biweekly Suwannee Farmers Market, at duluthcottagekitchen.locallygrown.net/market, or reach out via Facebook at facebook.com/DuluthCottageKitchen/posts/3583106425041780.
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