Brand: Trader Joe's
Fruit: Organic Raspberry Preserves
Location: Trader Joe's
Rating: Good*
We had high hopes for this one. As addicted as we are to jam in the morning (we consume one bottle bi-weekly), we moved slowly through our Trader Joe's raspberry. The problem? Simple. Not enough sugar. In their bid to be healthy in addition to being really affordable, TJ's created a really lovely raspberry jam without any kick. If you like a less sweet morning opener, this is for you, but if you like a good tart confection with your morning coffee wait for our next Jam Report.
It doesn't surprise me that it's not sweet, it says "Reduced Sugar" on the bottle.
maxwell,
if they have it at the ny tj's, check out the tj's brand jam (or is it called fruit spread) made without ANY sugar and sweetened with fruit juice...unlike other fruit sweetened concoctions, it showcases the fruit without being flat -- the raspberry has that sweet-tart kick of fresh raspberry and is completely addictive...as is the morello cherry version, especially on toasted walnut bread with a little butter or gruyere...
One teaspoon of the TJ's Organic Apricot or Raspberry gently stirred into a cup of TJ's Plain Greek Style Yogurt... Hurray!
I love it. Less sugar. More fat.
Jam freak here! I dislike the taste of sugar in my jams, especially the taste of fructose (which I find acrid). I won't buy jam if sugar is high on the ingredient list.
A great raspberry jam: Vermont Country Store's Black Raspberry. Up there with the greats but hard to find for some reason is Knott's Seedless Raspberry, and I believe they make a Black Raspberry, too. Actually, if you want a raspberry jam with kick, you'll do better looking at black raspberry selections.
My other major complaint about jams is the use of too much pectin, which TJ's doesn't do.
I buy this jam regularly! I love this jam because it isn't overly sweet, I think it compliments the berries so well. I tell everyone about this jam! really i do!
Oh man, I beg to differ. I love this stuff! Just picked up the blueberry, in fact, which is even better than the rasp.
I'll differ here by saying in an old-fashioned way that the best jam is the one you cook at home: you can manipulate the sugar amount that goes in, pick the fruits yourself (preferably at the greenmarket) mix them up and opt out to use pectin.
I usually do a strawberry one, and the best thing about it is the smell that surrounds the apartment while it cooks. I would highly recommend. Yum
Oh, and yes, I'm a jam freak
I'm with you on the jam freakiness, Asli - although a love for homemade doesn't stop me from having at least five jars of miscellaneously collected stuff in my fridge at all times. I bought a jar of hazelnut apricot preserves from Bakerina recently and it is amazing. I also have the classic gooseberry and cloudberry jams from IKEA (cannot get enough of cloudberry!), red currant, plain apricot, boysenberry and strawberry. My favorite jam to make myself is fig sesame.
It's not exactly jam, but my new favorite morning spread is mixed berries mascerated in some sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. I mix them all together, let them sit at room temp for a bit then put it in an airtight container and store in the fridge. The raspberries breakdown pretty quickly for that spread consistency while the blueberries and blackberries give it a nice mouth feel. Yummy over some toasted whole grain bread spread with butter or a little mascarpone cheese. Also good to top yogurt or ice cream.
Sugarsnoopy, that's a great idea! thanks.