“The rule is: jam tomorrow and jam yesterday, but never jam today”
So says the White Queen to Alice in Lewis Carroll’s ‘Through the Looking Glass’
For those of us who like jam every day, I would like to introduce you to Pierre Marmonier and his wife Andrea. Foodies of long-standing, the couple recognized a niche market in luxury, locally made jams that used neither additives nor preservatives. After some experimentation, they tested twenty flavours on a bunch of their friends. The Fruit Garden’s first products appeared in October 2009.
After years of working in the tobacco industry in Europe, Africa and Asia, Pierre finally settled down in Manila two years ago with Andrea and their two daughters. At this point Pierre decided he needed a sea-change. “I always wanted to do something on my own,” he shared.
The inspiration for jam-making came from his childhood. “My mother always made her own jams” he explained. Years later, living in Paris with his own family, he would take them out to the country every Summer to go strawberry picking. And they always collected extra to make jam.
The Fruit Garden jams are sold in pretty jars that come all the way from Italy. Pierre is determined to recycle, so every Sunday morning at the Legazpi market you can return your empty jars. And the hotels that serve Fruit Garden jams are also trying to implement this policy.
Flavours? There are plenty. Currently, the range includes strawberry (forever a favourite with the kids), pineapple, mango and a dalandan marmalade (dalandan is a native orange). And it doesn’t end there. The pineapple jam comes solo or accompanied by mango or coconut rhum. Strawberry jam is blended with mango, or with mint or banana. And there is a glorious range of mango jams, where mango is combined with ginger, white chocolate, vanilla, papaya or spices. My personal favourite is an interesting mango and lavender.
The range also includes a delicious pure honey from Abra, fruit chutneys and a special collection of jams made with seasonal fruits. In a recent new development, the Marmoniers are hoping to produce soy based candles in chocolate and vanilla.
Thinking Christmas? There are also beautiful boxed gift sets.
So where can you find these mouth-watering jams? Try the Legazpi Sunday market or the American Women’s Bazaar. They are also available at the Bacchus Epicierie at Power Plant Mall; The Market Deli in Salcedo Village; the Dusit Thani lobby delicatessen, and Paris Délice . Further field, look in True Deli, Victoria Tower, QC, Deli Boys in San Juan, Manila Airport and even in Cebu, Baclod and Borocay. And I noticed that the honey even put in an appearance at the BWA Afternoon Tea recently. So here’s to the Marmoniers and their scrumdiddlyumptious jams!
http://www.thefruitgarden.net/