Thinking outside the jar with Bonne Maman + A giveaway!

In my house, jams and jellies rarely see more than a side of toast, but last week’s inspired bites at Fauna Ottawa have me looking at our favourite jewel-toned spreads in an entirely new light. Bonne Maman invited Fauna chef Billy Khoo to think outside the jar for an exclusive tasting featuring the company’s preserves. Here’s a look at the dishes we sampled. Maybe they’ll inspire you too! 

Produced in France and sold all over the world, Bonne Maman’s jams and jellies are made without additives, preservatives and artificial colours. They’re a little more pricey than preserves with 101 ingredients, but for all-natural products, I think they’re worth it. Plus the jars are super cute for storing buttons and thumbtacks and what-have-you when you’ve spooned out every last bit.

First up: elk carpaccio with a rosemary and juniper rub, fig jam, potato crackers and parmesan. This was my favourite dish of the four. I loved the proportion of savoury to sweet and the simplicity of the ingredients and the presentation, which really allowed for each of the individual flavours to shine.

Jam brings people together. It’s sticky that way.

On to the spicy duck prosciutto, soeur d’angèle cheese, forest honey, toasted baguette and cherry jam. Again, that delicious complement of sweet with the savoury in just the right amount, making for a dish that tasted as scrumptious as it looked.

Next up, the maple foie gras torchon with smoked salt, crostini and red currant pearls. I’m not a fan of foie gras so this dish wasn’t for me (I did try it!), but the pearls were a genius touch of fancy. I’d love to see them with something else.

And finally, the sous-vide pork shoulder with farro, pickled fennel, fennel pollen, mustard jus and spiced peach jam gelée. Here I enjoyed everything but the jam component. Like the foie gras, I couldn’t get past the texture of the gelée. 🎵 I don’t think I’m ready for this gelée 🎵 LOL. But I think it’s a really interesting way to incorporate a touch of sweetness.

Do I hear some tummies rumbling out there? I thought so!

GIVEAWAY!

To enter to win a prize pack from Bonne Maman (I can’t tell you what that’ll include just yet, but you can count on some preserves and a cute branded product or two), visit Bonne Maman and tell me in the comments one of the recipes you’d like to try (include the link from the site) and your favourite flavour of jam or jelly. 

For an additional entry, follow try small things on Facebook and share this post, then tell me you did so and your name on Facebook in the comments below.

For a third entry, follow try small things on Instagram, and tell me your Instagram handle in the comments below.

And feel free to tweet the following once per day and leave the url for your tweet in the comments below (one entry per tweet). Make sure you’re following try small things on Twitter for your entry to count.

Just my jam! Enter to win a Bonne Maman prize pack from @trysmallthings http://bit.ly/winbonnemaman • CAN 10/5 #BonneMamanCA 

The giveaway is open to Canadian residents and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on October 5, 2017. The potential winner (chosen at random) must respond to prize notification within 48 hours and provide the correct answer to a skill-testing question, otherwise another will be selected.

Bonne chance, tout le monde!

Update October 6, 2017: Congratulations Jennifer M!

I was a guest of Bonne Maman and received some preserves and branded products free-of-charge, however all opinions are my own.