We like to eat. A lot, actually; we're serious foodies in this household. But there are a couple of conditions:
1) It has to be healthy.
2) It has to taste good.
With a lot of commercial foods, those things are often mutually exclusive - which sort of defeats the purpose of 1), because if you don't have 2), you're not likely to eat it. And truly organic foods (a requirement for both of us in terms of dietary limitations) can be extraordinarily expensive. But since we both have severe chronic health conditions that include dietary restrictions and food allergies or sensitivities, not eating healthy is simply not an option.
My little sister, Kitsap River, knows this dilemma all too well; she lives it every day of her life, too. So she did something about it.
River's lucky enough to live in the Pacific Northwest, where she has access - some of it on her own land, yet! - to an abundance of organic berries and other fruits. Like Wings, she's diabetic, and so sweetened foods can be a problem for her, too. And yet we all crave sweets - and as anyone who's dealt properly with diabetes for any length of time will tell, constantly denying those cravings will simply lead to an eventual (and much harder) fall off the wagon.
So River turned her attention, and her considerable talents, to putting her local fruits to good use: making healthy, natural, organic artisanal jams.
We were lucky enough to get a large selection of it last year; we traded some of Wings's silverwork for it. We gave a little of it away as gifts (two jars, I think, went to Wings's late brother Roy, along with a supply of fry bread). But I have to admit that we kept most of it to use ourselves.
And what a selection it was! Follow me over the jump to find out the sorts of unique flavor combinations she designs, current availability, and pricing.
One of the things that River does incredibly well is to combine complementary flavors. Sometimes, it's two different types of fruit; other times, it's fruit combined with chocolate, vanilla, or spices. And in all of them, she uses only organic sugar or natural sweeteners, like honey or agave. And for folks with diabetes or metabolic syndrome, agave is a must to add to your stable of sweeteners and flavorings, because it has a much lower glycemic load than sugar and other sweeteners.
CURRENT INVENTORY:
Raspberry made with blue agave, four 8-oz. jars available.
Chunky Cherry Chocolate made with organic sugar, two one 8-oz. jars available. SOLD.
Tart Blackberry Chocolate made with blackberry honey, four 4-oz. jars available.
Blackberry Chocolate made with blue agave, eight seven 8-oz. jars available.
Cinnamon Peach made with fireweed honey, three one 8-oz. jars available. SOLD.
Raspberry made with organic sugar, two 8-oz. jars available SOLD.
Apricot Ginger Marmalade made with blue agave, nine seven 8-oz. jars available.
Blackberry made with blackberry honey, one 8-oz. jar available.
Seedless Blackberry Chocolate made with organic sugar, three 8-oz. jars available.
Raspberry Chocolate made with blue agave, nine eight 8-oz. jars available.
Apricot Vanilla made with organic sugar, thirteen 8-oz. jars available.
Cinnamon Peach made with organic sugar, seven six 8-oz. jars available.
Tart Blackberry Chocolate made with blackberry honey, three 8-oz. jars available.
Apricot Ginger Marmalade made with organic sugar, seven 8-oz. jars available.
I can vouch for all of them, but especially those combined with chocolate. I'm a chocolate junkie, and it's one of the few remedies that actually helps when I get a really bad migraine. On one such occasion, we had no chocolate in the house, I thought - and then I remembered: We had River's raspberry chocolate jam. And lo and behold: my chocolate fix!
Now, these jams are made with smaller amounts of sweeteners than what folks will be used to if they've only had commercial jam products. Lots of refined white sugar and high-fructose corn syrup make for a product that tastes very sweet, but has barely any fruit flavor left.
These are different.
There's a little sweetness, yes - just enough. There's some tartness, too. And for those that include spices such as ginger or cinnamon, there are added layers of flavors. But the thing I love about River's jam is that no one flavor overwhelms the others. First and foremost, you taste the fruit; you feel the spices; you get the hint of sweetness that you want in jam without it subsuming the other flavors. And it's textured, yet velvety; no clumps of seeds to hurt your teeth.
And because of that texture, it's perfect to add to things like frybread!
So place your order in the comments, or Kosmail her. Prices are $6 per 4-oz. jar and $10 per 8-oz. jar, plus shipping.
If you order something, let me know so that I can update the diary accordingly. And if what you want is sold out, let River know, so that she can reserve some for you the next time she makes a batch.
Go on - try some. It'll change your taste for jam forever.
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Building Community. Creating Jobs. Donating Art to Community Organizations.
Kos Katalogue Blogathon: July 10-July 12, 2013
Daily Kos is the best progressive website for a good reason: it has, by far, the most vibrant, dynamic, and supportive online community. While policy and political issues dominate everyday debates and conversations, it is the participation, dedication, and caring attitudes exhibited by the blog's members that has made this place unique among online communities. In short, you are responsible for its success over the past eleven years since 2002.
When you decide to buy online gifts for friends and family members or for your own personal use, please consider buying an item or two from Kos Katalogue. By supporting the Daily Kos Community small businesses, you encourage job creation. With millions of average Americans struggling in this fragile economy, sensible economic proposals emanating from Washington, DC and the corporate sector are non-existent and, thus far, unable to stimulate sufficient job growth.
Kos Katalogue consists of dozens of online stores, encompassing the talents of hundreds of brilliant, creative people and featuring unique items for sale. It also connects our online community with towns and cities across the United States. For example, with generous financial support from our community members, the Gallery Kos Community Art Project has donated artwork to community organizations around the country. Such initiatives by members of Kos Katalogue facilitate networking in the real world and strengthen community ties.
A complete list of Kos Katalogue online businesses can be found in this diary posted by Sara R on Tuesday, July 9th - Kos Katalogue Mothership - HOTLIST THIS!!!
A Personal Request from Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse, Aji, and JekyllnHyde
Both sisters have been an integral part of Daily Kos for a long time. In years past, the three of us have worked with them on several occasions in many blogathons and other special projects. For as long as we can remember, they have selflessly comforted others in need and helped to foster a strong sense of community. Now, they need our help.
Sara (Sara R) and Ann (winglion) are facing some hefty medical bills, vet bills for their beloved pooties, and a host of other economic issues. If you can help, please go to PayPal.com and make a contribution to rainwoman AT mac DOT com.
Thank you in advance for your generosity.
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Kos Katalogue is easy, consumer-friendly shopping – just let your mouse do the clicking! If you hotlist this diary by Sara R, you will always be two clicks from Kossack-owned stores, covering everything from artwork to quilts to jewelry to scarves to personal services.
Please support members of the Kos Katalogue Community, as your help is needed. For those of you on Facebook and Twitter, please help to spread the word by hitting the FB and Tweet links at the top of this diary. Use hashtag #KosKatalogue to tweet all diaries posted during this blogathon. Our Daily Kos community organizers are Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse, Sara R, Aji, and JekyllnHyde.
Diary Schedule - All Times Pacific
If you would like to be added to our email list used for email notifications once Kos Katalogue diaries are posted, or for our blogathons, please Kosmail Aji, Sara R, or Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse. Emails are always sent bcc to ensure privacy.
11:00 am: Tapping into our community's creativity and entrepreneurship by Kos.
1:00 pm: Kos Katalogue: Winglion Quilts and the Community Quilt Project by Aji.
2:00 pm: Kos Katalogue: Graphic Designs by Marko the Werelynx by michelewln.
3:00 pm: Kos Katalogue: Three Talented Kossacks: Fineena, Lorinda Pike, and asterkitty by peregrine kate.
5:00 pm: Kos Katalogue: Christmas in July!?! by jan4insight.
9:00 am: Kos Katalogue: Shop Till You Drop by belinda ridgewood.
11:00 am: Kos Katalogue: Kossacks Love Silverwork by Wings by Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse.
1:00 pm: Kos Katalogue: For the Love of Her Goats & the Many Wonderful Things You Can Find by remembrance.
3:00 pm: Kos Katalogue: Our Choices Matter by rb137.
5:00 pm: Kos Katalogue - A little help from my friends by One Pissed Off Liberal.
7:00 pm: Kos Katalogue Challenge for All of Daily Kos: Could You Do THIS? It Will Help Lots of People by JekyllnHyde.
6:00 am: Kos Katalogue: Doing it wrong? by rserven.
10:00 am: Kos Katalogue: Shop Local. Shop Kos! by Yasuragi.
11:00 am: Coveting thy neighbors earrings by ZenTrainer.
3:00 pm: Kos Katalogue: Jewelry and something to put it in, all made with love by Kitsap River.
4:00 pm: Kos Katalogue: Kitsap River's Artisanal Jams by Aji.
5:00 pm: Glen The Plumber.
6:00 pm: NinthElegy.
7:00 pm: smileycreek.
Please remember to republish these diaries to your Daily Kos Groups. You can also follow all postings by clicking this link for the Kos Katalogue Group. Then, click 'Follow' and that will make all postings show up in 'My Stream' of your Daily Kos page.
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