After a whirlwind few weeks of eating out with my friend who was in town from Chicago, I decided to get back to basics and cook at home. At the Lobster Festival in Rockland, I stumbled upon hot pepper jelly from Grey Goose Gourmet, based in Wayne, Maine. Here’s why I’m a fan:
Apricot Pepper Jelly on Salmon: a sweet glaze that left me with plenty of heat, but I could still taste the flavor of the fish.
Roasted Garlic & Onion Pepper Jelly with Cream Cheese and crackers during a girls night in: my friends and I piled the cheese plate high with cream cheese and topped it off with the garlic jelly, which is how we saw it demonstrated at the Lobster Festival. Yes, it was still quite delicious even when it was in my own home. I could see this jelly being a great thing to bring to dinner parties, along with some crackers or a bottle of wine.
Hot Pepper Jelly with Tapas cheese and pita crackers: it’s awfully hard to find a way to make cheese better…pepper jelly is always the answer for me! My boyfriend and I went to an outdoor L.L. Bean concert this weekend, and my handy picnic basket came along, chockfull of cheese, jelly and crackers. The hot jelly is nice for cheese that is lighter, since it complements their flavor.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve found an excuse to use these jellies on just about anything I can think of, sandwiches included! I’m no stranger to heat (looking at you, Bingas for happy hour last week!) and will usually try to incorporate at least a little bit into planning dinner. Now, I’m also a big fan of Stonewall Kitchen’s Hot Pepper Jelly and have been known to consume containers of it by myself. Grey Goose Gourmet is different, because the flavors are crisper, though they definitely do have some similarities. Personally, the apricot just adds a nice little pop of sweet behind the heat, which I appreciate, especially when I glazed my salmon a few weeks ago. If you’re looking for a Maine business to represent, Grey Goose Gourmet is a great one! Look for them at local festivals, farmers markets and events in the area, or order online at their Etsy shop!
