20 ways to JAM…

1. Stir-in a spoonful of jam to your hot or cold tea for added flavor and subtle sweetness.
   
2. Brunch only gets better with a Bellini; add your favorite jam to chilled Champagne or White Wine.
   
3. Pineapple habanero jam is a quick & easy way to bring life to your favorite bottled BBQ Sauce. Best on grilled ribs!
4. Heat up your favorite jam, mix with a soy sauce and fresh ginger for a sweet & tangy Asian-inspired Glaze. Brush on shrimp, scallops, pork, chicken, or steak during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
   
5. Last minute entertaining? Wow guests with an easy hors d'oeuvre by pouring pineapple habanero jam over whipped cream cheese and serve alongside crunchy crackers.
   
6. Enjoy a bagel with cream cheese and your favorite jam for scrumptious treat anytime of day.
   
7. Spoon jam over a round of Brie, top with your favorite nuts {i.e. spiced pecans}, baked @ 350° until bubbly, and serve with a variety of crackers & croutons.
   
8. Heat a jar of jam in the microwave at 30 sec intervals {be sure to remove and watch closely)and pour over ice cream. Apple Pie jam is the best! ALSO: Add a few spoonfuls to a blender with ice cream and sweetened condensed milk for a flavored milkshake!
   
9. Brush pineapple upside down cake jam on a store-bought spiral ham every 15 minutes while baking until ham glaze is caramelized and golden brown.
   
10. Pour warm jam over pound cake or cheesecake, add a dollop of freshly whipped cream and sliced fruit.
    
11. Make a jammin' PLT by spreading jam on your favorite bread; top with crispy fried prosciutto, lettuce, tomato, and sliced red onion.
    
12. Balsamic grape makes the best grilled PB&J you've ever had! Add sliced banana for the "full effect."
    
13. Breakfast only gets better when you heat and pour jam over pancakes & waffles; top with a dollop of fresh vanilla bean whipped cream
    
14. Mix 2 parts jam to 1 part oil & 1 part vinegar (try white balsamic!) for a custom salad
    dressing; add your favorite cheese, fruit, and nuts.
    
15. Simple, elegant, and out of this world...Make small, neat piles of sesame almonds, sheep or goat's milk cheese, jam, and buttered croutons for a sure-to-please cheese plate.
    
16. Give life to your oatmeal & cream of wheat by stirring in a spoonful of jam.
    
17. Add a berry jam & fresh sliced fruit to your favorite red wine with a splash of brandy and club soda for sure-to-please sangria.
    
18. Fried green tomatoes become heaven on a plate when smeared with goat cheese and drizzled with pepper jelly or pineapple habanero jam. Sprinkle with sundried tomatoes.
    
19. Meatballs will be the life of the party when served with our famous sauce: Heat (one 9oz jar) balsamic grape jam with (one 12oz bottle) chili sauce.
    
20. Gemini Jams' Sweet & Spicy Ketchup: 2 parts ketchup, 1 part jam, 1 part Dijon mustard. Serve on meatloaf, hamburgers, hotdogs, etc.

Jam Thumbprints

Jam (as I have previously mentioned) is set to take over the culinary world any day now…

So get ahead of the curve, break away from mundane toast & jam, and start using it where it counts: Everywhere!

Where to start? Well, with the holidays coming-up I vote for cookies!

Here is a simple, classic, but dangerously scrumptious, Jam Thumbprint recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   
2. Beat 3 sticks unsalted butter (at room temp) with 1 cup sugar until fluffy. {Using a large electric mixer is best but if you only have a hand-held, that will work too}
   
3. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste {or vanilla extract}. Beat mixture briefly until combined.
   
4. Sift (or simply whisk) 3 ¾ cups all purpose flour with ¼ teaspoon sea salt.
   
5. With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour to butter/sugar mixture until dough begins to form a ball.
   
6. Remove dough from mixer onto floured surface. Form ball. Cut in half. Wrap each half in plastic and chill for 40 minutes. {Sorry, you can't skip this step…believe me, I've tried}
7. Remove chilled dough and roll into uniform 1 inch balls. Place each ball onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Press thumb into the middle of each ball.
8. Fill each indentation with your favorite Gemini Jam. {I recommend raspberry plum}
9. Brush each cookie with a simple egg wash {1 egg yolk and a 1
   tsp of cream}.
10. Bake for 20 minutes. Check. If needed, bake for another 5 minutes.
11. Allow cookies to cool on rack.
    
12. Try not to eat all of them before your guests arrive ;)

Where in the World is Gemini Jams?

Where aren't we is more like it! Well, not really, but we are definitely making more friends around town…which I am ecstatic about!

So, let's get organized…

Where can you buy a jar of jam?

• On Shelves…
  
  • Irwin Street Market {660 Irwin Street, Atlanta, 30312}
    
  • Bakeshop – while you're there, don't pass-up their handmade flaky butter croissants, gourmet muffins, and fabulous lattes! {In Midtown @ the corner of Peachtree and 8^th Street}
    
  • *Coming Soon* Library Coffee Co – I live off of their amazing breakfast sandwiches! Also check-out their extensive lunch/dinner menus and (Ansley's favorite) live music every Thursday night with drink specials! {In Brookhaven @ the corner of Dresden & Caldwell}
    
• At Markets…
  
  • SATURDAYS @ The Chamblee Farmers Market {where you can also find the best bread in Atlanta, fresh, organic produce, homemade pound cake, awesome coffee, etc.)
    
  • SATURDAYS @ The Piedmont Green Market {Sold by Bakeshop, so look for their tent and get some baked goodies to go…}
    
  • THURSDAYS @ The Old Five Points Market {Johnson Ferry and Ashford Dunwoody}
    
• ONLINE from our brand-new Jammin' website!
  
• Of course you can always call {404.550.7793} or email your jam wishes and I will make sure you get exactly what you want (or need as the case may be).
  

Where can you enjoy a delectable creation featuring our jam?

• The Sound Table {Edgewood + Blvd} – Paul Calvert was the first to jump on the jam-wagon with the Gemini Handshake, a drink featuring my pineapple habanero jam. Since then, he has added a few more jammin' drinks to the menu and we continue to collaborate on future projects, although he is the mastermind behind them all!
  
• Bakeshop uses my pumpkin pie jam in their seasonal latte…thank you Emily Baker for working on that fun project with me!
  
• Frosty Caboose uses the apple pie jam on their cinnamon ice cream and top it with whipped cream and a cherry…you need this, trust me!
  
• Mostess Hostess makes gorgeous gift baskets (and bags) for all occasions and she uses a seasonal variety of 4oz jars in them. Think corporate gifts, weddings, house warming, birthdays, holidays, you name it!
  
• Parsley's Catering uses a variety of my flavors in many creative ways…also check out their Beautiful (with a capital 'B') event space at the foothills of Kennesaw Mountain.
  
• *Coming Soon* You be able to enjoy Gemini Jams @ Library Coffee Co on your scone, croissant, or just with a spoon.
  

  
   

‘F’ is for Flavor

One of the most exciting things about selling at farmers markets is conversing with customers about the various flavors I offer; many reactions have been quite priceless. My favorite (and most memorable) is a toss-up between two…The first, an adorable 7 year old little girl that tasted the citrus fig with widened eyes and whispered to her mom, "Can I have this for my birthday present?" The second, a gentlemen's declaration of the citrus fig "This is so good I would eat it off of an ugly toe!" I was understandably speechless (and quite amused). Currently, my best sellers are blueberry sage, apple pie, and pineapple habanero. Balsamic grape is also popular (and my personal favorite) as are the other "berries;" raspberry plum & blackberry.

Many people inquire about how I develop such [insert descriptive word here] flavors. The answer: with great pleasure! Honestly, although many of the flavor combinations I use seem pretty obvious and natural to me, I do spend hours researching and brainstorming jam flavors. I have even been lucky enough to collaborate with various professionals including bar manager Paul Calvert of Sound table who inspired the creation of pineapple habanero jam for use in his rum-based beverage, The Gemini Handshake. It's also important to note that my friends and family are a great resource of candid thoughts, as are my many loyal customers. Bottom Line: I love the infinite flavor possibilities that inspire creativity and hours of fun. There are no rules, no mistakes, and no limits in my kitchen; It's an exciting place where the art of jam is redefined to fit 21^st century taste buds...and I'm always open to new ideas...

Chamblee Farmers Market

Each Saturday begins before the sun in preparation for the Chamblee Farmers Market.
I over-stuff my trusty mommy-mobile with a tent, tables, boxes of jam, signs, and many odds & ends {kiss Ansley goodbye} and then trek the whole 2 miles into Downtown Chamblee where I set-up shop behind the Frosty Caboose. It's there that I join my fellow artisans and a few hearty farmers to share our creations with the neighborhood. There are many things I love about Saturday mornings (although that whole waking up before the sun thing is NOT one of them)…First, I get to chat with my 'co-workers' about their journey, their dreams, and their passion for supporting the local economy. Next, I sample their creations…warm pound cake, balsamic bruschetta, organic beef jerky, tomatoes, fresh baked bread. Then, I wait…for the foodies, the families, the regulars, and the newcomers to visit my tent and sample the jam and enjoy our features of the week. I have happily converted 'non-jammers' via the apple pie jam, excited southern bell brides with the idea of peach jam wedding favors, and enlivened kids with balsamic grape PB&J. The unexpected smile they all give as they lick the taster spoon clean are priceless and the return customers, paramount.

But, the best part about my surroundings is the creativity it inspires in the kitchen…two weeks ago I left the market with a pound cake and tomato bruschetta. Ansley and I dined alfresco with two handsome fellas as we enjoyed a picnic of sweet basil & balsamic bruschetta with fresh mozzarella on homemade olive oil croutons, then devoured a sinfully delicious chocolate poundcake (with whipped cream!) while watching a movie on the grass in Ashford Park. Put simply: Delicious Fun.

Last week I walked through and purchased green tomatoes, fruit chutney, & French country sandwich bread. I couldn't wait to get home and make lunch! I toasted the bread, fried the green tomatoes (after breading them in panko and smearing them with goat cheese!), drizzled them with red pepper jelly, and layered them with fruit chutney on the crisp bread. In a word? Heaven!

This week was no different (except I took pictures!)…I brought home fragrant basil from Paradise Found Farm, ripe tomatoes from Jack Rabbit's Farm, organic eggs from West Wind Farms, a warm baguette from Bernhard's Bakery, and went to "work"…..

The menu? Homemade 4 cheese ravioli with a lemon basil butter sauce, green salad, and a baguette with honey butter. The verdict: Guilty of Gluttony…

What can I say? I cook when I'm happy and I'm happy when I cook.

Guess this can only mean one thing…

Why I Love My Job…

• I make people smile with food!
• I wear cowboy boots to business meetings.
  
• Business meetings almost always require taste-testing.
• Employee appreciation days include skydiving.
• The abbreviation "AP" no longer refers to a position of authority, but rather Apple Pie jam.
  
• I meet new people every day.
• There is NO cap on creativity.
• I never have to see the inside (or outside) of a cubicle.
  
• Eating is considered research. Food gluttony is considered extensive research {and we all know research requires serious studying}.
  
• My 'co-workers' have also been diagnosed with "Foodmania" (although not yet covered by my health insurance, is an actual condition).
  
• Everyday I get one step closer to taking over the world with jam.
• But, MOST of all, I get to spend precious time with Ansley and learn something new about her each day.

After all, "These are the days you'll remember...
you might fill with laughter until you break..."
- Natalie Merchant

Meet “The Jam Lady”

So, who is this Jam Lady, anyway? Well, my name is Amanda Averill and I am a 26 year old single mother, [former] teacher, foodie, and adrenaline junkie.

I better start from the beginning…

I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia in the quaint Brookhaven neighborhood. My mom and I spent each spring and summer hulling strawberries and stirring jam; using the same spoon her mother and grandmother had used many years before. My aunt and cousins joined in the fun as we made summer "Jamborees" a yearly tradition. From my mother I acquired an admiration of strong, independent women and an appreciation of the tranquility of time in the kitchen. From my father I gained gratitude for Mother Nature and the peace one can find in it without ever looking. I lived in the city, but thrived in the woods; hunting, fishing, hiking, baking, and sewing. I avoided boredom by finding new and exciting challenges, from chasing wild boar and catching alligators to stuffing homemade ravioli and icing 8-layer cakes. After high school, I attended Georgia Southern University where I received my B.S. in Early Childhood Education and went on to teach fourth grade in Cobb County for 3 years.

It was during my first year of teaching that I was blessed with the gift of my daughter. After deciding to adopt, a selfless birthmother made me a mom and for that I am eternally grateful. Ansley Jennifer was born on September 20^th, 2007 in Colorado Springs, CO. She is my angel, my guiding light, and one hell of a drummer.

So, here we are: three generations of gals sticking together for the long haul to share our family's tradition with the world.

What can I say? We be jammin!