In the early seventies my parents came to visit for the holidays. My dad really liked to cook and he saw a recipe in the LA Times for a pepper jelly. We decided to spend the day together cooking the recipe. He went back home and experimented further with the recipe adding cranberries and jalapenos. While he strained his and made it into a clear jelly, I decided to stick with the idea of a jam. Since that time I have added and removed different peppers and decided to use the more colorful peppers to create more taste and eye appeal.
My friends and family were raving over this jam each time I would present a different version. As I continued to refine the recipe, my husband became enthusiastic about it and he began growing all different colors and varieties of peppers. Eventually I put one together that not only produced beautiful color and density, but the perfect combination of sweet and spicy taste. My jam is full bodied and tasteful followed with a little heat from the jalapeño and habanero peppers.
I began giving the jam with crackers and a tub of cream cheese for Holiday and Hostess gifts, and soon after people started asking to buy it. As my clientele grew, I decided to sell it on a grander scale. I have worked extremely hard to keep the homemade, top quality flavors and uniqueness to my jam while taking it to this higher level of production. Although we can no longer grow enough peppers to continue using our garden variety, I still use the freshest and finest available, as I have always insisted on using only top quality ingredients.
My jam can be used as a simple appetizer when served with your favorite cracker and cream cheese, or in more complex recipes. It also enhances the flavor of fish, poultry and meats.
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