WHEN AND WHERE TASTING THE "FRUITS A TARTINER"?

With the pre-launching of the "FRUITS A TARTINER" (No Sugar Added, NSA), it is nice to meet you and explain you the difference between the various products. Our regular schedules for free tasting session are on:
       Monday 2-5 pm                       Bob's Pastry Shop Lopues East
        Thursday 2-4:30 pm               Bob's Pastry Shop Gaisano
        Thursday 5-7 pm                     Bob's Deli Shop
        Saturday 2-5 pm                      Bob's Pastry shop North Drive
Other free tasting sessions are on: 
       Saturday morning 9-12am     Pendy's and Virgie's in alternation but without tasting and sales of Fruits a tartiner during the pre-launching period.
We will be always very happy to meet you and share our passion for jams and Fruits a tartiner.

Bottles of fruit a tartiner in a chiller at Bob's Lopue's East

BREAKING NEWS 
Lola's garden jam will be present at:

Bazaar kag Iban pa....

at the Negros Museum

Jan. 28-29, 2011 

Maricar Dabao and Jovial Media Events has set a regular date to conduct a bazaar and some lecture or demo workshops  every last Friday and last Saturday of the month from 9am to 6pm. You can find there:

Vicmik Ent - children's wear

Items for sale:  shoes, bags, fashion accessories

Food for sale: jams, cupcakes, leche flan, brownies, casuy nuts, and many others.........

For inquiries, contact 7081462 or 09173000060 or email to Maricar at: maricardabao@jovialmediaevents.com

The weekly recipe:
Jams or Fruits a tartiner (NSA) can be used hot. If you have a sandwich maker, put one spoon of jam between the two slices of bread. The heat develops the flavor of the jam. Instead making a "croque-monsieur", you made a "croque-jam"! 

The question of the week:

Why there is much more ingredients in other jams than in the Lola's garden jams?

Let's see, with a critical eye, what are these "other ingredients". The table below gives the list of ingredients of a common low cost strawberry jam, said "sugar free" you can find in supermarkets and why it is included in the formula.

• Strawberry with a note: add trivial amount of sugar (2g) - These 2g of sugar allows to evaluate the quantity of real fruit (around 20g for a bottle of 240g). We are far from more than 65% of fruits in Lola's jams or fruits a tartiner. By the way, 2g of sugar, is it really sugar or sugar free jam?
• Water - As there is a few quantity of real fruit, the matter of the jam is replaced with water.
• Maltodextrin - is a chemical sweetener used to improve the mouth feel and absorbed as rapidly as glucose. It not safe for some people if it contains gluten (and that's the case with Asian production of maltodextrin).
• Pectin - The thickener agent which binds the water and jellify the jam.
• Citric acid - To acidify the jam and reduce the risk of contamination.
• Strawberry flavor - Of course, as the quantity of fruit is low, it is needed to give a (chemical) taste to the water.
• Sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate - chemical preservatives.
• Calcium chloride - chemical firming agent
• Aspartame, acesulfame K - Chemical sweeteners.According to sweetpoison.com "Acesulfame K apparently produced lung tumors, breast tumors, rare types of tumors of other organs (such as the thymus gland), several forms of leukemia and chronic respiratory disease in several rodent studies, even when less than maximum doses were given.". "Headache is the most common adverse side effect attributed to aspartame...In anecdotal reports, aspartame has been linked to various neuropsychiatric disorders, including panic attacks, mood changes, visual hallucinations, manic episodes, and isolated dizziness."
• Red #40 and Blue #1 - Same as strawberry flavor, it is chemical ingredients to color the water. According to Wikipedia, "Red 40 was originally manufactured from coal tar but is now mostly made from petroleum...some studies have found some adverse health effects that may be associated with the dye." And Blue 1 "It is a synthetic dye produced using aromatic hydrocarbons from petroleum....It has the capacity for inducing an allergic reaction in individuals with pre-existing moderate asthma. the Hyperactive Children's Support Group and the Feingold Association recommends to be eliminated from the diet of children".

You can now understand why there are more chemical ingredients in some jams and it is not to improve the quality!

Lola's garden jam and Fruits a tartiner (NSA) ingredients are:

FOR                                      JAMS                                    FRUITS A TARTINER

                                                                                           NO SUGAR ADDED

Flavoring & coloring           Fruits more than 65%        Fruits more than 65%

Sweetness                       Washed or brown sugar      Stevia

Jellification                      If necessary lemon pectin   Agar from algae

Acidification                     Lemon citric acid and/or     Lemon citric acid and/or

                                      calamansi juice                calamansi juice

Conservation                    Sugar and, sometimes       Sterilization and fridge

                                      sterilization                     stocking

Original taste                   Natural spices and/or        Natural spices and/or

                                      calamansi zest                 calamansi zest

That's the difference between home and industrial production and the choice is yours.

 Available this week (bottles 300g, 8oz):

CLASSICAL JAMS

Guyabano-calamansi              130P

Jackfruit                                   130P

Pomelo-orange                        130P

Papaya-Buko                           130P
Breadfruit                                130P (available in few stores)

Tomato-apple                          150P

Watermelon                             140P

ACCOMPANIMENT NOT SPICY
Batwan                                     140P
Kalumpit, (Sarali)                   150P

SPICY JAMS

Chili                                          180P

Ginger                                      150P

Green mango (Chutney)        180P

Sweet pepper                          180P

NO ADDED SUGAR FRUIT A TARTINER

Banana cloves                        170P

Guyabano calamansi             160P

Jackfruit cinnamon                 160P

Mango Nutmeg                        180P

     Minimum order for home delivery: 6 bottles mixed,

     Free delivery in Bacolod (payment at the delivery)

NOTE: this prices are not applied in local selling places

Send your remarks and orders to:

lolasgardenjam@gmail.com
or Text: 0919 3555 424

NO SUGAR ADDED JAM – PRE-LAUNCHING

SPECIAL EDITION

It's now many weeks we organize free tasting session for customers with our different partners BOB'S PASTRY SHOP, PENDY'S or VIRGIE'S. I'm always surprised with the number of people telling us they loved jams but they cannot eat now because of diabetes or bad results of their regular blood control. Some  of them tried to find a replacement product but are not satisfied with the quality of the said "sugar free" jams. They also don't accept the chemical sweetener like Aspartame they judge dangerous for their health. The "pharmaceutical taste" is also rejected. So they stopped to count these products in their diet.

This special edition is dedicated to this people who would like to renew with the pleasure of the slice of bread with healthy and tasty jam. It will be now possible with the new line of Lola's Garden: the NO SUGAR ADDED JAM.

Yes, this coming week, NO SUGAR ADDED "jams" are available at BOB’S outlets (North Drive, Gaisano, Lopue’s East and Deli Lacson). I know some producers call these type of jams “sugar free” but it can’t be true as there is sugar in the fruit. Sugar free would mean “fruit free”, chemical only, which is close from the truth for some brands (have a look to the list of ingredients of some "sugar free" jams)!

Of course this quantity of sugar inside the fruit is reduced and it is a “good” sugar. These delicacies are completely recommended if you are diabetic, sugar-restricted or have other reasons to avoid refined sugars, for example to reduce the quantity of calories in the diet. And good news for the Lola's garden customers: as there is no added sugar, there are more fruits and the flavor is fruitier.

By the way, we have to invent a new word because a jam without sugar is, per definition, not a jam!

I suggest, and in French: “Fruits à tartiner” meaning “fruits you can spread on a slice of bread”.

If you read regularly our blog, you know perfectly sugar is also the ingredient to preserve the jam. So, no sugar, no preservation? There are hopefully other ways to preserve. First the jams – sorry – the “Fruits à tartiner” are pasteurized just after cooking. The risk to have survival micro-organisms is much reduced. Then the jars are stocked in the fridge, even if not opened. That is the important difference. We are reluctant to use chemical preservatives and we believe this way is the best until we get more informations about the exact shelf-life. That is why we speak of pre-launching and you will find during the next months the “Fruits à tartiner” only at BOB’S outlets. Of course, chillers at the good temperature are here available. But more important, the management of THE PASTRY SHOP AT BOB’S share our enthusiasm for this new collection of product, may be the future of the jams.

Now you will discover something new and interesting: these “Fruits à tartiner” without sugar added are sweet. The selected sweetener is the Stevia. It is not a harmful chemical for health like Aspartame and others (see http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html for more information). It is a plant and our provider guarantees it is organically grown and processed. We do not use the white powder of Stevia or the liquid form (chemically treated) but the light green one which has not been treated.

As there is no sugar, the pectin cannot be so efficient to jellify the mixture. To reach the good structure, we use a little unsweetened agar-agar, a natural product extracted from the red marine algae Gelidium. Agar agar is known and used in China and Japan since centuries.

I guess you can conclude yourself: our new collection of “Fruits à tartiner” is a very natural product excellent for health because:

-          No sugar added,

-          No chemical sweetener,

-          No preservatives,

-          More than 65% of fruit with minerals, vitamins, etc.

-           

Thanks to the “Fruits à tartiner”, diabetic people will enjoy again the pleasure of jam delicacy. But every people can eat this “jam-like” without added sugar calories.

The labels of the first flavors available this coming week in the 4 Bob's outlets (Deli, North Drive, Gaisano and Lopue's East) are:

As it is written the FRUITS A TARTINER are good for everybody, sugar problem or not. Our testers agreed about the fruitiness and freshness of this new line. We hope you will share their opinion.

 Available this week (bottles 300g, 8oz):

CLASSICAL JAMS
Guyabano-calamansi              130P

Jackfruit                                   130P

Pomelo-orange                        130P

Papaya-Buko                           130P
Breadfruit                                130P (available in few stores)

Tomato-apple                          150P

Watermelon                             140P

ACCOMPANIMENT NOT SPICY
Batwan                                     140P
Kalumpit, (Sarali)                   150P

SPICY JAMS

Chili                                          180P

Ginger                                      150P

Green mango (Chutney)        180P

Sweet pepper                          180P

NO ADDED SUGAR FRUIT A TARTINER

Banana cloves                        170P

Guyabano calamansi             160P

Jackfruit cinnamon                 160P

Mango Nutmeg                        180P

     Minimum order for home delivery: 6 bottles mixed,

     Free delivery in Bacolod (payment at the delivery)

NOTE: this prices are not applied in local selling places

Send your remarks and orders to:

lolasgardenjam@gmail.com
or Text: 0919 3555 424

LET'S SPEAK ABOUT SUGAR

With the evolution of the knowledge, some consumers are more exigent and prefer the safest food. In term of no contamination with chemical products but also in term of quantity of calories. More informed about the risks of diseases or their own diseases, they adjust their diet and choose attentively what they eat. After all, as it is said in France:" We dig our grave with our fork!"

Jams are sometimes rejected by consumers because they content sugar. If this is understandable by diabetic people, it is not a good idea from people who have not this type of health problem. On the opposite, the sugar is the necessary source of energy needed by the body, especially for kids.

What should be important is the source of the sugar. I think everybody knows sugar in fruits has better qualities than the same sugar in  the plastic bag of the grocery. It brings with it minerals, vitamins, and many other organic components useful for the body.

Our extra quality jams contain around 65% of fruits, so, a large quantity of the sugar in the jar is coming from the fruit.

Second point is of course the quantity of sugar per day. Remember one teaspoon of jam is around 3g of sugar and one can of Coke, 40 g. Choice is yours!

BREAKING NEWS 
A new outlet for the Lola's garden jam since the 13th of January 2011, THE DELI SHOP, 21th Lacson Street.

We are proud, first the management of Bob's continues to trust us and then to join so many high quality imported foods. As French citizen, it will be hard to resist during each visit to the German charcuterie, the French cheeses or the Italian pizza cooked with wood fire! Our jams are really in great company.

The weekly recipe: the jam omelet 
Break 9 eggs in a bowl and mix lightly with a fork with a pinch of salt. Put a nut of butter  in a fry pan, let melt and pour the beaten eggs. When the omelet is dry outside and "slobbery" in the middle, spread the jam in the middle. Close the omelet with the jam inside. Eat hot.

The question of the week:

What is the best sugar for jam?

Difficult question: the answer depends what side you are, producer or consumer. Most of the producers recommend white sugar because it preserves the color of the jam. Sometimes, commercial white sugar includes pectin to guarantee a good jellification.  Because of the very low level of impurities the jellification is also stronger. The counterpart is the refining of the sugar is a chemical process and the result is the "...Refined sugar contains no fiber, no minerals, no proteins, no fats, no enzymes, only empty calories." (http://macrobiotics.co.uk/sugar.htm).

The washed/brown sugar, the muscavado, the molasses are not recommended by producers because color impurities and taste modify the color, the taste of the fruit and the texture of the jam. look at the difference between the result of a modern technique, respecting the color of the fruit, to make strawberry jam and the one you can buy along the road climbing to Baguio.

The worst result, in term of appearance, is obtained with muscavado and molasses which give a very ugly uniform brown color to any kind of fruit jam. Furthermore, the light and delicate aroma of some fruits is totally destroyed.

However, as brown sugar is less treated than white sugar, some consumers prefer jam made with non-refined sugar. Compromise is often necessary to satisfy (partially) every body. The use of a light brown sugar allow to avoid, partially, the "dark side" of the white sugar and do not modify too much the aspect of light colored fruits. It is probably the best home production choice in this times where appearances seems more important than the reality.

 Available this week (bottles 300g, 8oz):

CLASSICAL JAMS
Guyabano-calamansi              130P

Jackfruit                                   130P

Pomelo-orange                        130P

Papaya-Buko                           130P
Breadfruit                                130P (available in few stores)

Tomato-apple                          150P

Watermelon                             140P

ACCOMPANIMENT NOT SPICY
Batwan                                     140P
Kalumpit, (Sarali)                   150P

SPICY JAMS

Chili                                          180P

Ginger                                      150P

Green mango (Chutney)        180P

Sweet pepper                          180P

     Minimum order for home delivery: 6 bottles mixed,

     Free delivery in Bacolod (payment at the delivery)

NOTE: this prices are not applied in local selling places

Send your remarks and orders to:

lolasgardenjam@gmail.com
or Text: 0919 3555 424