Wassail Preserves [Black Currant, Pear, Apple & Citrus, with Grenache Wine and Spices]

I LOVE Fall and Winter…

Throughout the year, I experiment and brainstorm new flavors of jams and preserves to add to my offerings, and I take particular joy in coming up with fun and inventive flavor medleys for the holiday season; there are so many wonderful flavors associated with the winter holidays… and this year, I wanted something particularly fun, to help me kick off something new I’ll be doing for the holidays going forward [TO BE ANNOUNCED… 🙂 ].

This year’s featured holiday flavor comes courtesy of my Husband, Paul… while sipping mulled wine during the holidays last year, he remarked that I find my inspiration for my jam flavors in the most unlikely of places… why not this glass of mulled wine?  And I thought… ‘Why not indeed?  CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!!’  And the experimentation began… and I’m pleased to say that WE HAVE A WINNER!!

It’s a wonderful blend of Black Currant Juice; the fruit and juice of apples, pears and oranges; the zest and juice of limes, along with a full bottle of Grenache wine per batch, spiced and flavored with an array of spices [Vanilla Paste, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Mace, Cloves, and Star Anise], along with the usual players, my old friends, Raw Cane Sugar, and Pectin.  The base flavor comes from a Wassail Punch recipe I found in an Ole English cookbook that inspired the direction I ultimately went in, hence the name of this wonderful creation; plus I wanted a name that spoke to the holidays globally – I think the name nails it… and I am so very proud of this creation; it’s quite fun, with just the right amount of sugar and spice!!

Try something new this holiday season… Trust me — you’ll thank me!!