i’m just back from picking strawberries on an overcast morning, so i’m simultaneously blissful and unrushed, so it seemed like a good time to get back around to my website. there was a technical issue last season, some hackers from eastern europe hacked my website and it became less than useful for a while, but now it is back. the strawberries came in 3 weeks ago, and the rhubarb too, so jam season is rolling into high gear before it’s usually started.

last season was a week or 10 days early, strawberries were in around April 22 instead of May 1, but the warm spring seems like it’s another week earlier this year, with berries coming in April 14th at Chiles in Greenwood. this means we could see blueberries, raspberries, cherries and apricots, which are usually the first half of June, trickling in during the second half of May, which is only 2 or 3 weeks away. i guess we could see peaches in early to mid june, figs in late june, plums around then too.an early season is fabulous for me, since i’m obsessed enough about the fruit to be right on top of it; i can’t afford to let the early appearance of a fruit catch me by surprise, and the farmers are always happy to see me come picking early and often.

i’m working on my jam photography this year, and looking forward to a beautiful season. i’ve taken some time to be thankful this winter, for this community, this chance to do what i love, having the days outside and the nights in the steamy kitchen, packing a season’s worth of Virginia sunshine into identical glass jars, and then bringing it to whoever shows up at the farmers market. it validates an important human urge, to find food outside of a refrigerated case or an air-conditioned aisle, and it lets me and my fellow producers create food of an uncommon quality and variety, and interact face-to-face with the people who eat it. we are so blessed.

also, for those of you who haven’t yet heard about it, there’s a great series of table-to-farm dinners going on in central Virginia right now, by the name of Hill and Holler, curated by Tracey Love, and unless you were there with us last night, you just missed a great winemaker’s dinner at Blenheim Vineyard with chef Tucker Yoder of the Clifton Inn, 5 courses with wine pairings; 42 people at one long table on a hilltop as the sun set. i saw Sarah and Andrea of Beyond the Flavor at the table with other guests and producers, snapping away with their cameras, so there’ll probably be mention of the while thing on their website soon enough, with some beautiful pictures.

as a final thought from jam land, lets all hope the strawberries don’t burn up in the end of May the way they did last year, or even earlier than that. weather instability is scary, especially since food can’t go inside and turn on the air conditioner when it is growing in a field, the way we can when we’re tired of being out there. so, for the time being, i’m picking in Roseland and Greenwood almost daily, and trying to keep up with the season before it gets weird.

I’ll be at the market this week, and for the next 34 weeks, or until i run out of fruit. flavors are: strawberry + thai basil, rhubarb, raspberry rhubarb, strawberry rhubarb, strawberry jam, strawberry lavender, strawberry chocolate mint, strawberry lime, and rhubarb lime… maybe some rhubarb ginger.

we can’t forget about blueberries or cherries, which are both about to reach the end of a 2 week run. i have some strawberry rhubarb from last week, but not much else strawberry flavors, a few cherry and blueberry varieties, and raspberries have returned.

i don’t know what this heat will do to the fruit, especially the cherries, but i was expecting to see them go soon anyway, and the rain is really what can end their season (on a bad year) but that has been rare these past 2 weeks, to the fruit’s benefit. the raspberries will dry out as they ripen if it stays too dry and hot, but that just means the pickers must exert more vigilance and effort to find the berries before it is too late.

this week (tomorrow) at the market: strawberry rhubarb, strawberry chocolate mint, blueberry, blueberry lemon, sweet cherry + blueberry, sweet cherry, sweet cherry + lemon, and whatever else i can think up today.

are you hungry for out-of-season jams? pear flavors in june and peaches in may? maybe even strawberries in september? look no further than the Greenwood Gourmet Grocery, in nearby Crozet VA. enter their treasure trove of preserves, not to mention their amazing wine, cheese, produce, prepared food, catering, etc, and be amazed.

also for jam fans in DC; i made a delivery on wednesday to the Cowgirl Creamery (at their DC location) and the Arganica Farm Club is carrying my jam as well.

i’m pleased to announce that strawberries are still bountiful, although they won’t last too much longer in this heat, unfortunately. cherries and blueberries are coming in over the next few days, so i should have plenty of both at the market next weekend, and i’m looking forward to more rhubarb – i’ve started picking it up at the Mennonite auction in Dayton VA, the SVPA, and it has been fabulous.

here are this weeks (only) flavors: strawberry jam, strawberry + rhubarb, strawberry + raspberry, strawberry + lavender, strawberry + thai basil, strawberry + lime, strawberry + chocolate mint, and rhubarb + lime.

for other flavors, check out the Greenwood Gourmet Grocery, who has kept a lot of out of season flavors from last year. there is still a bit more at Revolutionary Soup, on the downtown mall, too. i make 150 flavors of jam (or thereabouts), but only sell what i am actively producing, which is about 8-12 flavors at any one time, using whatever fruit is ripe and available in Charlottesville or the surrounding 50 miles.

i’ll be at the farmers market tomorrow morning; i hope to see you there!

strawberry jam, strawberry + rhubarb, strawberry + raspberry, strawberry + lavender, strawberry + thai basil, strawberry + lime, yellow peach + raspberry, strawberry + chocolate mint!

i’m overjoyed to announce that strawberries are back! (actually they were already back last week, but i was so busy with them that i couldn’t make time for a blog post.) the berries are in at Seamans in Roseland (who are a little further along) and at Critzers in Afton (who are starting to pick on monday, and will have berries further into the season), so get out there before it gets too hot and get your hands on some bright, fragrant fruit.

there is nothing that can compare with eating warm strawberries in the field on a spring morning, pulling the fruit off the stem and up to your mouth in one motion… although strawberry jam comes in a close second, especially in October, when local strawberries are either preserved in jam or are only memories. come get some for yourself, at the city market, tomorrow!

flavors:

strawberry jam, strawberry + rhubarb, strawberry + raspberry, strawberry + lavender, strawberry + thai basil, strawberry + lime, yellow peach + raspberry, double plum + lime, and whatever else i think up later tonight!

It’s time for the beginning of Jam season! I’ll be at the Farmers Market tomorrow, near where I was last year, I just moved a few spots up the hill.

Here are the available flavors:
Yellow Peach + Raspberry
Peach Blackberry + Lemon
Double Plum (with Damson and Shiro Plums)
Double Plum + Lime
Yellow Peach + Golden Raspberry
Cherry + Chocolate Mint
Peach Strawberry + Lavender

Also, I am having a little art show at the Garage, opening tonight (and up for most of April), so come by from 5-8 to see the prints and enjoy wine, jam, and other refreshments. For more details and directions follow this link:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=139340686133959&ref=notif&notif_t=event_wall

• double plum
• peach blackberry lemon
• strawberry thai basil
• peach raspberry
• peach cherry + lavender
• yellow peach

Dear Jam-fans,

After thirty straight weeks at the Charlottesville City Market, I’ve decided to call it quits, but I’m still jammin’! I’ve still got fruit in my freezers, and I’m cranking out stocking stuffers through this weekend to give everyone the greatest jam-based holiday cheer! If you want to take part in the last hurrah of jam, 2010, then keep reading and email me with your choices and your address so that I can get your jam on its way to you!

I think this will work; I ship the jam in USPS Flat Rate Boxes, which are Priority Mail, and according to their website, the Christmas shipping cut-off is 12/21; email me back your choice of flavors, and let me know the check is on the way, I can just pack up the jam and get it in the mail Friday or Monday at the latest, in the Christmas spirit, to make sure you get it in time. If you are located in Charlottesville and want to arrange pick up at the jam kitchen Friday afternoon between 4-6, please email me your flavors anyway so I can set them aside, and let me know when I can expect you.

I charge $20/case for shipping and handling. A case itself costs $84 ($7/jar with the case discount). Send me a check made out to Daniel Perry to 1626 St. Annes Rd. Charlottesville, VA 22901.
Available flavors this week are:

• double plum
• double plum and lime
• peach blackberry lemon
• strawberry thai basil
• plum and sweet cherry
• peach raspberry
• peach cherry + lavender
• blueberry apricot
• yellow peach

I hope this will work for all of you; if you have emailed me in the past few days along these lines, I will get back to you this afternoon and if you have any special shipping needs include them in your email. Thanks to everyone for another excellent year in jam and I will see everyone who misses out on this special offer back at the farmers market in April!  There is a limited supply of jam available at my retailers, around town, which will disappear quickly: look for it at Albemarle Baking Company, Revolutionary Soup, Feast!, The Happy Cook, Greenwood Gormet Grocery and Pollak Vineyards.
Apologies to anyone who has called me recently for jam, its easier for me to keep track of orders through email and if you email me now I will endeavor to fulfill all of your jam needs.
Thanks!
Daniel

The fruit season is drawing near a close, but we’re still jamming. The City Market has run right into the Holiday Market, which continues at the same location every Saturday until December 18, with new holiday hours from 8am to 2pm.

The pear season is almost over, but that will give me an excuse to dive into my three freezers full of fruit. Expect peach, strawberry, cherry, raspberry and plum flavors through the next month.

Get your case of holiday jam now while the availability is still high. Email me your choices for a mixed case or 12 jars. When you order a case, you will receive the case discount ($1 off per jar). So a case comes to $84. Shipping is available or pickup Saturdays at the City Market.

Available flavors this week are :

• double plum
• pear and red raspberry
• pear and golden raspberry
• pear and hibiscus
• pear blackberry lemon
• pear and ginger
• pear lavender
• strawberry apricot
• strawberry pear and lime
• strawberry pear and lavender
• strawberry chocolate mint
• plum and sweet cherry

not in the same jar, but seperately circling in the same orbit, each secure in their own unique sphere of sublime flavor.

golden raspberries are back as well, white lady and hibiscus, yellow peach and ginger, peach + lavender, peach + lime, all the late-season favorites.

get excited about the heritage harvest festival on september 11, at monticello, where i will join an all-star cast of local food heroes to vend my humble jam. hope to see you there!

and, as always, i’ll be at the market tomorrow, on the hill by the taco stand.