After my shoot yesterday with my Buhay Baboy friends Ram and Jho, Jho and TJ dropped Ram and I off at Eastwood Mall. Ram went to cab it to Valle Verde since he'll be attending a party there when I decided to stay over at Eastwood Mall. Last I was here was after doing makeup for Legally Blonde and I like this mall since it's such a pet-friendly mall. I spotted a really cute chowchow puppy and a million shih tzus bobbing their way. I didn't know that every weekend, there would be this little food fair at the second floor. I browsed a bit to see if there's anything that caught my interest and I re-discovered this stall that sells homemade jam. I didn't know the name of the brand but I've tasted some flavors at the Ultimate Taste Test a few months ago. I did remember getting a leaflet, which I somehow misplaced. Anyway, going back to present time, I saw the stall and recognized the jars which look like the old-fashioned jams I see in vintage postcards. Stuff that remind me of checkered aprons, country homes, Ann of Green Gables series... you get the idea.
The name of the stall was Green Babes In The City and they distribute the jams I was looking for. They also sell cheese, sardines, bottled laing, and veggie chips They also have organically grown green produce like dressed whole chicken, eggs, and meat. Nothing like the home-cured and homegrown foods from gramma's backyard eh? 
I found out the name brand - The Fruit Garden - and these are homemade jams were made the old-fashioned way with real fruit and real ingredients. - nothing fake or imitation . Old-fashioned way meaning, sugaring and boiling and all that. They use an original French homemade recipe, those that have been passed on from generation to generation. Again, it's like gramma making fresh jam for you and spreading it on your toast.
A bestseller was the Strawberry Ginger.. It won me over since at first it had that sweet-tart strawberry flavor then a kick of spicy ginger taste. She also made me try other concoctions. I decided to go with her personal favorite though and bought a bottle for the house.
This bottle costs Php 140 for one. It's great for Christmas giveaways but I guess I'll be stocking this up at the ref a lot, among 2 other flavors I find interesting - strawberry mint and mango lavander. The mango lavander had a really well, cute flavor. It feels like a spa in my mouth and I love this with biscuits and earl grey tea.
Normally, I'm not a bread person. I prefer rice over bread anytime, but I could make quite an exception with this as the spread. Aside from the fact that it's all-natural and cooked the very traditional way, spread it on bread and look at the consistency:
Fruit is pureed and it's just jam. Commercial jams actually have these strawberry chunks that I find annoying since it ruins the momentum I have when I spread it on bread. This one just glides right there. Okay, it may not be like 100% smooth due to the presence of some fruit fibers, but it doesn't have like that glob of fruit making the consistency chunky instead of fluid. This is the type of jam I'd have over ice cream, cereal, yogurt, or just dip my finger or spoon in. Since it's preservative-free, it only lasts for like a few weeks or so, but I don't think they'll last that long on me.
In fact, normally I'd get bored with bread but I had four slices of bread with milk tea for breakfast. You know what's great? Strawberry ginger jam tasted great with Conti's chicken empanada too. The ginger part blended well with the chicken fillings.
So what's my opinion on the other flavors? The strawberry mint was interestingly mellow. The mint came from chopped mint herbs so you get a sweet and tart but refreshing flavor instead of something that tastes like strawberry juice mixed in mouthwash. Mango choco and mango vanilla would be for those with a sweet tooth and for those who would want to reminisce a fun night by the beach they have something for you: Pineapple coco rhum.
Do I have to go all the way to Eastwood for this? They have several locations as it appears on their website and they're even available at the airport. You could also order from Green Babes in the City (greenbabesinthecity@gmail.com) or at the website. The Fruit Garden jams have various distributors all over Metro Manila when I saw the locations and they also have in Cebu. I was able to pinpoint a few locations down south for this as well as in Makati.
Okay... now I feel like doing a Joey Tribbiani now attacking a bottle of jam with a spoon. :P
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