In the Spice Market

This winter I look forward to having more small gatherings and entertaining in my home.  This new-found interest has taken on a life of its own and I have begun scouting out the menus.  The one thing I look forward to beginning many of these food gatherings with is a cheese tray.  Not your average cheese tray, however, one filled with all kinds of trinkets.  When Fischer & Wieser sent me a jar of their Original Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Jam, a light bulb went off in my head:  I am going to play around with exotic jam flavors and pair them with my favorite cheeses.  Not as out of the box as this project will become, but this is a good start.

As soon as I released the cap, the spicy Chipotle aroma came spilling out.  As you know, I am not the biggest fan of sweets so my first taste of the Chipotle Jam let me know this would be a winner.  The jam was a balance of 70% Chipotle peppers, a smoky flavor, garlic and vinegar, while the remaining 30% was sugar and raspberries.  It was the epitome of what a savory jam should consist of with the focus on the spice factor versus giving you a sugar high.  For sugar lovers, it is enough to fancy your palate where the raspberries and sugar play a strong undertone for the peppers.

My first tray will consist of warm brie, crackers and this Chipotle Jam.  What would you put on yours?

Tags: Chipotle, Fischer & Wieser, Jam, product review

Category: Announcements, finger-foods, Food.Fun.Stuff., sweets