This is a new recurring feature where I post products I’ve tried — and I think you should try, too. If you’ve got suggestions for me, let me know. I’ll try just about anything.
I’m a sucker for local jams.
There’s nothing like freshly made artisan fruit preserves using local ingredients — and that’s wherever I am. (I brought home several jars of jams and jellies from a street market in Amsterdam this summer.)
So when I first tried the Kauai-made Monkeypod Jams in a Hello Makana box, I knew this was something special.
The name alone — Banana Foster Jam ($10) — won me over.
Monkeypod Jam uses local fruits from sustainable farms on Kauai. The preserves start with whole fruits — whatever’s in season — and are cooked in classic Mauviel copper jam pots specifically designed to make the jam because of their their small size, low profile and even heating properties.
The company also sells such gourmet items as lemon-sage marmalade, mountain apple pepper jelly, papaya vanilla jam and spiced tomato jam. Most can be purchased through its website.
I ate these with just simple crackers and they were delicious. Imagine adding these flavors to thumbprint cookies or atop warm butter rolls.
And look at them — they make great gifts, too.
If you’re interested in Monkeypod Jams and want to sample the flavors, stop by Williams-Sonoma at Ala Moana Center from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. There will be new flavors, too, like jaboticaba jelly and starfruit marmalade.
8 Comments
Used to make homemade jams and jellies from the wild plum trees in the forest behind the house. To this day never had a better jelly. need to relearn how to do it.
That’s something I’ve never done. Maybe I’ll make that my NY resolution…
I love jams! Will head over Saturday to try them out. Have a great weekend!
CAT: I’m glad that they haven’t made a jam out of Monkeypod…(that’s what I thought when I read the liner)! That tree is bad news.
LOL, no, that wouldn’t be good!
Hi Cat! I picked up the Starfruit and Jaboticaba and they are fantastic! Thanks for the blog.
GREAT! I’m glad to hear it!
Aloha Catherine! I too live on OAHU out on the waipahu end of ewabeach. I live on old fort weaver road behind the old 1st Francis hospital which is now QUEENS WESTcampus.
Im writing to recommend that you try 3 , maybe 4 human edible items and 2, possibly 3 dog/ cat products. The first 2 human items are from the KAPOLEI DOWN TO EARTH vegan health food store. Their hot food buffet line had THE BEST I’VE EVER TASTED “herb roasted potatoes” and “maple&herb”roasted butternut squash! It’s $9.99 per pound but VERY VERY GOOD! I’ll splurge on 1.5lbs and gorge on it for 2 or 3 meals! You’ll LOVE BOTH entrees! The 3rd human treat is from CUPCAKES & THINGS also in kapolei, my friend that owns the shop makes THE BEST EVER “tiramisu” in a serving so large ites enough for 2 adults! Only thing is I would call to make sure its available because it sells out super fast and is only made on certain days of the week. The 4th human treat is also from cup cakes &things- UBE CAKE&CUPCAKES, UBE CHEESECAKE and lastly UBE BAR which is likeLEMON BAR . THIS YOU MUST TRY! anything “ube” from CUPCAKES and THINGS! They’ve got a “reward”program too!I recently got my 1st rewardtreat – a free UBE cupcake!
the dog&cat treats are as follows, hartz delectable fir cats or dogs – bisque, stews, chowder. They come in formulas for elderly pets, pets with kidney and other health issues. they’re in 1.7oz pouches which are PERFECT for cats&small dogs as a mid day snack or used as a way to stimulate their appetite of they’re sickly or as a way to get them to take their medicines if they take regular prescription(s). there is fighting to get them to ingest it, no watching the pet to see if they spit the medicine out when they think you’re not watching! Crush tablet, or empty capsules or squirt medicine into the food, mix and serve it! My special needs cat and our cardiac failure Chihuahua bothNEED meds twice a day. Ill mix their meds into the hartz delectable BISQUE(everyone’s FAVORITE)or the chowder of bisque isn’t avsilable or any of the STEW . They inhale it. Of course i watch to make sure they eat it all. I see from your photo you’ve got 3 precious fur kids which is why ive mentioned these pet products. Ooh, one other is a puree/lickable treat labeled as a cat treat but it’s gotSAME EXACT INGREDIENT AS DOG product! That’s a big pet peeve of mine, companies that raise prices for cat products when the ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE LABEL! OK, the product is CIAO CHURRU. I can’t find it locally anymore but both hartz delectable BISQUE, CHOWDER & STEW as well as the CIAO CHURRU puree can be found on Amazon for best prices!
I apologize for being so long winded! I get very excited when in sharing or recommending anything that I like or especially if my pets like it! Sincerely -yvette from ewabeach, Hawaii