Sugar Plum Preserves

**LIMITED TIME/SEASONAL FLAVOR!!**

This jam is special to me — for so many reasons…

When I was younger, I had the opportunity to perform in the touring company for several equity shows… After my very first tour, I had 3 months before I went into rehearsals for my next tour; I had a decent amount of money in the bank, so I decided to treat myself to a trip… so I packed my bags, got a passport, and took myself to Europe for the first time!  I had the time of my life — I was in Germany for the very first Oktoberfest after the wall was completely down!  I LOVED Germany, but my favorite part of the trip was Austria… in particular, the small, picturesque village of Durnstein… the place seemed magical to me!  While exploring this quaint little village, I wandered into a Confectionary, and was greeted at the door by a sweet, elderly woman with a tray in her hands… this tray held the most exquisite Sugar Plums!  She offered me one; I took it, tasted it, AND WANTED MORE!!  The candy was sweet, but not too sweet, and you could taste the candied fruits so well; they blended together beautifully, and the spice was light… just a hint… with a final, perfumy bloom of vanilla, citrus, and almond — almost like an italian pastry.  I was in heaven.  When I tried to buy some, I found out it wasn’t possible — she only made them once a year, specifically to give to her family, old friends, and new friends — they were made to be a gift.  As I spent more time in the shop, I learned that her name was Annika.  And I learned that she got the materials she needed to make her Sugar Plums not from the market where she usually sourced her materials, but from close friends and loved ones; from love, came love.  And she shared with me that she only made her Sugar Plums in years where she experienced the greatest of joys, and the lowest of lows. I understood, and appreciated where she was coming from. And it made me want to create something where I could carry on that tradition, for I loved the thought and the intent behind it.

While she wouldn’t share the recipe with me, she did share the ingredients; Plums, Pineapple, Cherries, Apples, Pears, and Candied Oranges, with holiday spices.  I wrote down the ingredients, and spent the next couple of years trying to duplicate the flavor blend first in a cake, and then in a jam… Once I got the preserves recipe down, I limited myself to breaking it out once every 5-6 years or so; usually if a year was exceptional, one way… or the other — I wanted to follow Annika’s example; and pay homage to her.  2020 DEFINITELY fit that bill, so out the recipe came.  It has actually been 16 years since I’ve made this jam.  And just like Annika, who offered me that first taste [and one other — she let me take one more when I left the shop; she was tickled pink that I enjoyed them as much as I did!] I sent it out to my loyal Customers, Family, and Friends as a gift.  This jam, to me has always embodied friendship, appreciation, support, respect and love.  And a sense of coming together… Community. The photo is of one of Annika’s Sugar Plums — they are as tasty as they are beautiful.

The other special thing about this jam is the majority of the fruit came from friends – just like Annika and her friends; plums from my dear friends Doug & Laura in Santa Clarita, who I’ve known since high school; cherries from my friend Jake in Oxnard; oranges from my friend Jordan in Northridge; apples from my friend Carole in Glendale — a jam for friends, made with fruit curated from friends… doesn’t get any more special than that.

I have NEVER sold these preserves before… but some of you who received a gift jar asked how you could get more, I have a FEW jars left [maybe a half dozen], and 2020 was THE PITS, so I’m breaking my rule, and I’m going to offer up the remaining few jars for sale, so if you’re interested, they’re there until they run out… and this may be the only time that I ever sell this jam.

But if you got some, now you know the story of these preserves, and why they are so special to me; and why I only share them with special people, like you.

Thank you for your love and support throughout 2020 — You’re the best; I appreciate you, and you’re loved!!