Recently I was reminded of a previous coworker’s jam business out of Oregon and after poking around some, I placed an order with Republic of Jam for a jar of their Strawberry Pasilla. Never having pasilla chilies in their raw form but aware of their regular use with jams, I was excited to try this one out.

Well, when the order arrived less than a week later, I was surprised to find that I received not just the Strawberry Pasilla I ordered but also a small jar of their Plum Pepper Aigre-Doux and a jar of their Mango Jezebel which I was unable to find listed on their website. Woot!

The description of the Strawberry Pasilla and Plum Pepper Aigre Doux were mouthwatering to say the least:

Strawberry Pasilla:

Just a hint of smoky heat to highlight sweet local strawberries.

Try it: in the Mexican
Chocolate Bread Pudding recipe found on our website.

4 oz. or 9 oz. Jars

Ingredients: Strawberries, cane sugar, pasilla chillies, lemon juice, fruit pectin

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Plum Pepper Aigre-Doux:

“Aigre-Doux” translates into “sour-sweet”. This exotic-tasting yet very traditional old-world concoction pairs well with meats and cheeses. This is a tangy, mildly spice, sweet plum jam, perfect for the more savory-oriented palate who has to share their jam with those who like it sweet.

Try it: as a dipping sauce for turkey or pork, or alongside a wedge of comte

9 ounce jar or 4 ounce jar

Ingredients: Plums, cane sugar, red wine vinegar, mustard seeds, black pepper, red pepper flakes, ginger, anise, clove, cinnamon, fruit pectin

Even though I was looking to capitalize on some of that smokey heat coming from the pasilla chilies, they were absolutely no match for the sweet coming from the local Oregon strawberries. However, it’s clear that the chilies and lemon juice are doing their job as I’m sure this one would be almost sickly sweet without them. This jam, while extremely yummy, is better suited for The Wife’s sweet tooth than my love of savory dishes with heat. In fact, it was so yummy we’ve been eating it on toast for breakfast the last several days. A lot goes a very long way and carries some really excellent flavor along with it. While I haven’t yet noticed even a hint of smoke or heat, one of the owners noted that if you hit a seed you’ll get a really nice blast of smoke; something I’m hoping to catch a glimpse of soon.

The Plum Pepper Aigre-Doux is a savory treat unlike any I’ve before experienced. Deep and rich, I was surprised at how much I loved this one. The flavor combinations remind me almost of worcestershire. The mustard, ginger and clove are evident right from the get go before the red pepper comes out of hiding and leaves you with a spicy afterglow to take on the sweet of the plum. While The Wife said she was not at all a fan, I found myself going back to this one time and time again. VERY YUMMY.

While these two jams were extremely good and covered the sweet and savory well and even gave some hints of heat, the Mango Jezebel was my personal favorite. It has a little bit of everything I love and packs it into one jar just waiting for me to discover its wonders.

9 ounce jar

Ingredients: Mangoes, cane sugar, habanero, lime juice, lemon juice, black pepper, red pepper flakes, fruit pectin.

The clear jar shows HUGE chunks of mangoes dotted with both the red pepper flakes and some very coarse ground black peppercorns. Opening the lid presents your nose with a sweet heat combination which will haunt your dreams for weeks after that first taste. Between the sweet of the mangoes comes a wave of the fruity habanero heat. I can just imagine spreading this on a pork tenderloin or a few home-grilled wings but I have been quite pleased with spoonfuls on crackers or toast. Nothing says, “GOOD MORNING” like a mouthful of sweet heat. While I don’t believe it’s currently available on their site, they do have another jam with habaneros, Mixed Berry Habanero, which I can only assume will be just as phenomenal as the three I have already tried.

While the three jams I’ve tried so far are tasty and a fourth sounds amazing, perusing their website provides a glimpse into a ton of other items I’d love to try. How about Apple Beer made with Pacific Northwest IPA beer or, unfortunately only available for pickup in Oregon, their 64oz jar of Bacon Jam? These people had me at hello. I know what I want as a stocking stuffer: more Mango Jezebel and Apple Beer me please!

If you’re looking for some excellent holiday presents this year and want to support a small business selling some fantastic product, I highly recommend this one. Not only are the flavor combinations I tried solid but they are inventive as well. I cringed a little bit at paying $8 for a jar of jam but now that I know how good it is, I’ll be back time and time again and I suggest you try them too.

What are your favorite jam flavor combinations? Are you more of a sweet or more of a savory fan? What items at Republic of Jam caught your eye? What would you put some of these on? Did you peruse their recipes? Which ones do you think you’ll try? Whatever you have to say about this one go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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2. Hapi’s Spicy Sriracha Peas: Not So Spicy
3. Spooky Hot & Spicy Sauce
4. Spicy Black Bean and Chicken Tortillas
5. Sweet Potato Pudding