Jammy Sparkling Apricot & Pink Peppercorn French 75

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Want to enter the giveaway for your chance to win 4 Salt Spring Kitchen Co giftpacks right now? Click here!

What lights you up inside?

Like, what tickles your fancy? Or sets your buns a’blazin? Or nourishes your soul and makes you pop out of bed and say “hell YES, I GET to do this today?”

What do you love to do?

The last several months have been a strange time, and the holidays are looking a little different this year. I can’t help but lament – even mourn – that in some ways, and in others, feel wholly grateful. For the space it’s given me to focus on the things I love to do. The ability to enjoy the things that matter. The opportunity to reset – in so many ways.

As we get closer to popping a cork (or three) to the end of 2020, I have to admit I wasn’t loving the trajectory of my work over the last few years. This was difficult for me to admit to myself, and it’s painful for me to say out loud. For nine years I’ve been doing work I don’t love for all the wrong reasons.

Money. Security. Habit.

Which, if you know me at all, are none of my core values as a human.

Not only did I not love the work I was doing, it was sapping the energy I had for other people and passion projects in my life. My creative energy was as dry as burnt toast. As someone who has always fancied herself a writer, traveler, lover, and artist, that made life hard for me a lot of the time. Days felt increasingly difficult, emotionally I was either anxious AF or worse: ambivalent, and I didn’t know what to do. I’d fallen out of sync with the things that made me feel good. That sparked joy. That made me want to get up in the morning.

In short: I felt stuck.

Does any of this sound familiar to you? Maybe you’ve experienced something similar at one point or another.

I think I speak for a lot of folks that when I say that in a lot of ways, the recent months have been a rally cry to wake up and smell the coffee. And do something else. Something meaningful. Something more juicy than auto-pilot. Something unexpected. Something we love.

Ring a ling ding dong, amiright?

There are a lot of feels this year: Sadness. Loneliness. Ambivalence. Uncertainty. Confusion. Anger. Fear. Isolation. Anxiety. Stess. Hunger… let’s be real, I’m always hungry. But there’s also optimism. Positivity. And love.  I’m not saying those painful feelings don’t sneak their way in some moments, but I think now – more than ever – we have a chance to do, be, and choose LOVE.

Because of these last few months, I GET to focus on the things that light me up. That tickle my fancy. That set my buns a’blazin. That nourish my soul make me pop out of bed, saying “hell YES, I GET to do this today!”

Things like:

• Hiking or camping (ideally both); nature heals all.
• Creating, styling, and photographing local and seasonal recipes. On these days I tend to wake up before my alarm goes off because I’m too excited to sleep.
• Sex & physical pleasure + emotional intimacy, vulnerability & honesty. I’m lucky to have a fiance who explores these things with me and honours my soul and body.
• Physical movement, whatever that looks like. It’s often solo living room dance parties, bicycling, and lugging my kettlebell around the apartment.
• Writing every day (or at least some days.) I’m well into writing my second novel, and deep into edits (again) on my first. NY Times bestseller list, prepare yourself.
• Adventure! Put me on a plane; I’ll get up at 3am for that early flight, no questions asked. This is still on hold for the moment, but a girl can dream.
• Dog cuddles. Riley, my 100 pound American Bulldog, is the best spoon.
• Jam cocktails. Because it’s breakfast and happy hour all in one.

If you’re looking to jam some jam in your next cocktail (or brunch, charcuterie spread, or cabin fire-side picnic), grab a spoon. Saltspring Kitchen Co. offers handmade savoury, spicy, and sweet jams + preserves, and full-flavour funky hot sauces. Melanie started sharing the creations she made in her home kitchen at Salt Spring Island’s Saturday market in 2012. Bit by bit, her little jam company grew and she’s been able to share her love of canning with jam aficionados in B.C and across the country. And it’s easy to taste why – her preserves are unlike any other I’ve put in my mouth.

Coming from a woman who LOVES her jam enough to include it on her “what gets me up in the morning playlist,” that’s sayin’ somethin’.

It’s clear Melanie loves what she does. And that love is infused into every single damn jar. So while her preserves offer an array of flavours for all tastes, the two consistent things you know you’re getting are her whole heart and jam-packed flavour.

The jam featured in this cocktail is Melanie’s Sparkling Apricot & Pink Peppercorn Fruit Spread. It has the sweetness of  apricot and floral spicy notes of pink peppercorn. That, and the effervescence of sparkling wine. Mama what?! Paired with bubbles and a splash of gin, this Jammy Sparkling Apricot & Pink Peppercorn French 75 makes me happy, and curious about what’s to come in 2021. It’s going to make you happy, too.

‘Tis the season for peace, love, and jam, my friends.

Make space. Pop the cork. Spread the love…

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

PRIZE: FOUR ridiculously delicious gift box trios (totaling 12 preserves – some of which are otherwise currently sold out) + a Salt Spring Kitchen Co tote bag (retail value $120.) Get it while it’s hot folks!

Sweet Trio Collection Box: Blueberry & Basil Preserve, Raspberry & Rose Preserve, Sour Cherry, Rhubarb & Rosemary Preserve

Winter Trio Collection Box: Cranberry, Sour Cherry & Port Preserve, Cranberry & Pepper Spicy Pepper Spread, Winter Wonderjam

Spicy Trio Collection Box: Peach Pepper  Raspberry Habanero , Hot Mango

Hot Sauce Collection Box: Habanero + Curry + Orange, Morita + Espresso + Chipotle, Pineapple + Turmeric + Achiote

TO ENTER: Simply visit the post on Instagram to like the post, follow us, and tag a friend. Easy peasy!

CONTEST END DATE: Contest closes December 13, 2020, 11:59pm PST.

Fun Fact: I LOVE hearing from you! Seriously – it kills me. In a good way. So if you make this Jammy Sparkling Apricot & Pink Peppercorn French 75 recipe, please be sure to rate the recipe here, leave a comment below, or tag me on Instagram so I can see! I respond personally to each and every one of you because this is our delicious community and I’m damn stoked to be a part of it.

Find Melanie and her sweet, savoury, and spicy line of products: Salt Spring Kitchen Co | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | At various markets around the lower mainland through out the year, and at a handful of select retailers across Canada. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: Salt Spring Kitchen Co provided me compensation for the work I did developing a recipe and taking the pictures for this post. Thank you SSKC for supporting my blog! Regardless, I only recommend, giveaway or share products or services I love, use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions, words and information here are entirely accurate and a reflection of my true experience and were not influenced, in any way, by the above mentioned products or companies. Opinions and views are my own. Because that’s how I roll, yo. I’ve never been one to shut my mouth – I’m not going to start now.

The post Jammy Sparkling Apricot & Pink Peppercorn French 75 appeared first on She Eats.

Kristy Gardner
Lascivious lover of good, “ethical” food & wine.

http://gastronomicalsovereignty.blogspot.com

Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Gastronomical Sovereignty
Twitter: gsonblogger