I’m a little bit of a jam fanatic. My favorite way to eat jam is with a spoon right out of the jar, but it’s pretty easy to convince me to try jam on a crusty baguette with butter, or stirred into yogurt, or spread on saltine crackers (It’s good, I promise!).

My top priority for the summer is to learn how to can, because I want to make jam with the blackberries that ramble along my south fence. In the name of research, I’ve been investigating small batch, artisan jams, and my favorite discovery is Lemon Bird Handmade Jams.

Strawberry Jam with Black Pepper and a Hint of Mint

Lemon Bird’s owner, Amy Deaver, has been making jam for friends and family for years, but she stumbled into the jam business when a her husband’s colleague gave them 100 pounds of peaches that needed to be put up. One thing led to another and Amy began selling jam to a few shops in Southern California and online at Etsy, where I found her.

I was immediately smitten with Lemon Bird’s cute labels and inspired combinations (apricot with honey and pistachio, anyone?). But when I called up Amy and found out that she has a firm belief in homegrown, handmade foods and that she’s planted her own organic orchard, it was love.

Jam Made with Fruit from Amy’s Neighbor’s Tree!

Amy was a ton of fun to talk to and she kindly offered up some simple jam making tips for me (and you, too!):

“Jam is a little bit of science and art, so experiment away!”

“Make jam with fruit that is perfectly ripe, and use homegrown or locally grown fruits – nothing can beat it.  Organic spices are also so wonderful!”

Try Rose Jelly Over Soft Cheese

To find out more about Amy’s handmade, gourmet jams, you can visit her website www.lemonbirddesigns.com or you can go to her Esty shop www.lemonbird.etsy.com.

She also has a jam of the month club, which I think is a perfect gift for people who don’t need more things in their life, but love to eat! Members of this delicious club get 10 jars of jam total, with a jar arriving in their mailbox every 8 to 10 weeks.

(All the photos in this post are by Nicole Norstrud of www.norstrudphotography.com)