The Classic Spice You've Overlooked For Homemade Jam

In addition to being a great way to use up the glut of extra fruit growing in your yard or garden, homemade jam offers an opportunity for culinary experimentation. You're free to mix different fruits together to create bold combinations you won't find in a Smucker's jar. It could be as common as a mixed berry jam or something more unique, like hot pepper jam. You might experiment with consistency, making the jam as thick or thin as you like. Incorporating spices takes things up a further notch, and saffron is one you shouldn't overlook.

Cinnamon and nutmeg are go-tos for homemade jam. It's no mystery as to why: They're delicious. But saffron deserves a spot beside them. It's floral, sweet, and ever so slightly tangy, which goes wonderfully with a wide variety of fruits. It's also sure to wow anyone who tries it. Sure, it's a little pricey — but it's just the thing to make a jam no one will ever forget.

Saffron pairs well with a diverse array of jams. One especially great saffron pairing is citrus. Orange jams and marmalades are a classic, and saffron helps give this old favorite an elegant new upgrade. Stone fruits like peaches, mangoes, plums, and apricots work similarly well in a saffron-forward jam. The spice adds complexity to these luscious goodies, especially peaches, giving the resulting jam intriguingly earthy notes. Strawberry, passionfruit, and even persimmon jams with saffron are also delicious.

While apple makes for a rather mild jam, its flavor can be impressively enhanced with a saffron inclusion. Pear jam is a worthy saffron candidate for similar reasons. Tomato, a fruit that frequents more savory recipes, might seem to be a surprising saffron partner. But it already pairs well with saffron in chutneys, so it's not actually crazy that it makes for a flavorful jam as well. Whether your jam is savory or sweet, common or obscure, consider adding saffron to it to create a recipe worth saving.

Your saffron jams can be paired with a myriad of different foods. Consider the breakfast options. Saffron is often used in baked goods and can be just as delicious slathered on them in the form of an infused jam. Such jam is a particularly great topping for scones and pancakes. Don't just stick to the sweet stuff, either: Since saffron works well with herbs like rosemary, basil, and thyme, herby scones and savory buckwheat crepes are perfect accompaniments. Milk and saffron is another fantastic combination — try adding jam to your next yogurt for an elevated breakfast, or ice cream for a delightful dessert.

Saffron also pairs well with cheese, which means you can serve saffron-spiced jam — especially apricot or berry jam – with cheese and crackers for an appetizer platter that's sure to be a hit. You can also use this jam as a flavorful glaze for meats such as poultry or even on fish. Consider spreading tomato-saffron jam on a sandwich, like a salty BLT. Pear and apple jam go similarly well in a classic melty grilled cheese. Whether it's as an addition to breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert, saffron jam deserves a home on your plate.