With each morning's spoonful of Bonne Maman's Rhubarb jam edging closer to the bottom of the jar, I feel the inevitable sadness of knowing I can't go and pick up another one anytime soon. This jar comes straight from France via my luggage, a ritual I've held since first introduced to rhubarb's delightful flavor more than 10 years ago inside my husband's grandmother's tiny kitchen in Saint-Germain-les-Belles. I'd never even heard of rhubarb before then, but one taste of its golden-brown goodness locked in my current obsession. Rhubarb jam is a perfect mix of subtly tart and mildly sweet. It reminds me of tamarind, a tropical fruit pod widely used in Asian cuisine for its sweet-sour flavor.
Over the years, I've religiously scanned the rows of Bonne Maman jams in supermarkets waiting for Confiture de Rhubarbe to make its debut in the United States. No luck yet, though it's finally available online (yay!) at Frenchy Bee and Simply Gourmand.
Thought I'd try one more thing: on the off chance that I could get some inside information from - and really just chat with - esteemed author and pastry chef David Lebovitz, I asked (via tweeter because Mr. Lebovitz also happens to be a super tweeter) why Bonne Maman's Rhubarb isn't stateside... he kindly responded with an enthusiastic, "Make your own!" and generously offered a link to his recipe for Rhubarb-Strawberry jam, which I may just try one day. Now I did inquire whether the recipe could be made without strawberries, and David said he hasn't tried it without them because he "likes em in there." Too bad for me really as the pairing is deliciously popular and easy to find. It's just a bit too sweet for me...
Are you a fan of Bonne Maman jams, jellies and preserves? What's your favorite flavor?
Hi! Funny, just today I found out about La Chambre aux Confitures - it is jam day it seems! Possibly a new collection of jams to try on your next trip to France (rhubarbe de mai and rhubarbe et sureau)!
ReplyDeleteDaydreamer - Wow, I just visited the site - an entire store dedicated to jams, divided according to season! And so beautifully organized. Only in France ;) Thank you for the recommendations too. Will certainly visit next time I'm in the Marais, merci encore!...
DeleteI just went there today to buy a present for my dad: he's a real sweet tooth and loooooves figs. So he'll have a fig "confiture" that I know will be delicious :) Curious to know whether you tried David's recipe...
DeleteVery very sweet of you, your dad's a lucky man! I love figs too... at the moment, to conserve my Rhubarb jam, I alternate between Fig and Wild Blueberry. As for David's recipe, even though I'm very afraid of how it'll turn out since I plan on making the jam with just rhubarb (me, the not-so-adept in the kitchen!), I'll take a deep breath and give it a try once my jar runs out. Stay tuned, will definately let you know how it turns out... fingers crossed here ;)
DeleteBefore I read your post, my first thought was, That's a Bonne Maman flavor I've never seen! I do love rhubarb in pies (an elderly family friend used to grow rhubarb in her Vermont garden and turn them into pie treats) & this jam sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteAlso, how wonderful & fun you got feedback straight from David Lebovitz! I just finished reading his Sweet Life in Paris book, hilarious & delicious. Thanks for sharing the lovely recipe!
Lulu, I say the same thing when I scan the Bonne Maman jams in France! I'm like a kid in a candy store. They have so many flavors I want to try...
DeleteVery lucky you and the homemade rhubarb pies! (I'm drooling here) Guess I'll just have to try David's recipe. It really was a treat to get a response straight from him :)
Lulu, I agree. Sweet Life is Paris is definitely hilarious and delicious! :)
DeleteThe rhubarb jam looks so delicious! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
ReplyDeleteWhat's your favorite jam flavor Alexa? I wonder if it's the sweeter varieties like blueberry or strawberry... I'd love for you to try rhubarb with me ;)
DeleteGorgeous!! I've never tried the rhubarb flavor before, Catherine. Maybe they don't sell it in the States. It must be difficult to contain yourself with all of the flavors while you are in France. btw, I LOVE David Lebovitz too! I recently watched a video about his latest paperback release and le cookies (i.e. chocolate chip cookies, that is). Oh, and I think my favorite Bonne Maman jam is fig. The boys love the red raspberry. We spread it on everything!
ReplyDeleteThank you Charmaine :) I bet you'd love Bonne Maman's Rhubarb! Fig is a close top contender (it's my second favorite flavor) - the two are somewhat similar. You're absolutely right about France, it's hard to contain myself from their amazing variety of jams! ... I'd love to know which of David Lebovitz's books is your favorite, seems I've got to get my hands on one/all of them!
DeleteI don't know if its your gorgeous pics (or your beautiful words) or just the jam it itself but I just may need to order me a bottle of this jam today! :)
ReplyDeleteJamie, your very kind comments are just what I needed today, thank you :) And please do let me know how you like the rhubarb jam, bon appétit!
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