The Chilli Jam Man: Hot chilli, garlic and ginger jam
Here at Chilli Up North, there aren’t many things I like more than Chilli Jams, Sauces and Chutney, that is apart from Local Chilli Jan, Sauce and Chutney.
Chilli, Garlic and Ginger Jam
Our prayers were answered when The Chilli Jam Man got in touch asking if I would like to try some of his Jams, without hesitation I said yes, we then got chatting via Email and I learned a bit about the history of the Chilli Jam Man and how his career had turned from Mortgage broker to Chilli Jam Man, it was fascinating and inspiring stuff, I also found out he too was based in Yorkshire, so I was really looking forward to his Jams.
From looking at his new website it looks like he has started to do a whole range of jams and sauces, ranging from the hot Yorkshire 3 peaks to the sweet chilli and chocolate sauce.
The first one I have tried is his Hot chilli, garlic and ginger jam, which was the jam that started it all off for him. It retails at around £3.00 for a 200g jar, this seems to be a pretty competitive price for something that some much care and attention has gone into.
The jam is a lovely dark rich colour with a lovely reddy brown hue, it smells fantastic, you can certainly pick out the ginger, garlic and chilli as soon as you open the jar.
The consistency is a little bit different to most chutney I have tried, it has lovely little fine chunks, the closest texture i can think of is Branston Sandwich pickle, this however packs far more of a punch than its mass produced rival.
The first thing that hits you is the garlic, sweet and pungent yet not too over powering, you then get a little bit ginger heat and sweetness followed by a big bang of chilli that lasts in your mouth and builds up the more you eat.
I have managed to team the chutney up with ham sarnies, cheese and crackers but by far my favourite way was with cheese on toast, just dab a bit on your toast either before or after grilling and it adds a whole new dimension to the dish, far better than Worcestershire Sauce.
Chilli Up North Verdict: Great local chilli jam, pretty hefty chilli kick, certainly one for the garlic lovers 8/10 (Heat Rating: 7/10)