We Love Jam: Online

Here's the story: In 2002, two jam-loving entrepreneurs made a few jars of apricot jam from one rare Blenheim apricot tree in California's Santa Clara Valley. They passed them around to friends and family as gifts. The response was enormous - people loved the jam, and they even got a mention in Food & Wine.

When they tried to increase production the next year, they discovered that the Blenheim apricot tree is endangered. They managed to find enough fruit to make a few hundred jars a year, which they sell through a mailing list. These Blenheim apricots are intensely sweet and rich, but like other heirloom varieties, are endangered in favor of hardier, long-lasting apricots that will ship to market better. We Love Jam is determined to raise awareness of the Blenheim apricots.

The two entrepreneurs make each jar of jam themselves, and when the jars are gone, they're gone for the year. This year they had a few extra left over after supplying their mailing list, and they're selling these through the website for $20 each - only one jar per customer!

Their entire setup and approach is personal and minimalistic. The jam is just called Jam, and the jars having charming Kraft paper labels. They have also branched out to BBQ sauce, pickles, and homemade plum jam, as well as t-shirts that say "Save the Blenheim."

We had to try the famous apricot jam that started it all, just for the novelty of an endangered apricot. It's the most expensive jam we've ever ordered, but the idea of small-batch jam and an endangered tree made it worth it. Stay tuned for our Jam Report tomorrow!