Mymouné Apricot Preserves
Unlike many apricot jams that taste mostly of corn syrup, Mymouné's apricot preserve is bursting with real apricot flavor. The Lebanese company uses local apricots that are grown without irrigation, which ensures they have a more concentrated flavor, and cooks the fruit whole down until thick and syrupy. Tasting this bright jam reminds us of fruit just picked off a tree at the end of a warm, summer day. Stir it into yogurt, or pair it with a drizzle of earthy tahini on a bowl of oatmeal. Matthew Card, our food editor, thinks it makes the best PB&J, especially on a nutty whole-grain bread. For desserts, Mymouné Apricot Jam is great as a cookie filling or, when warmed up and combined with an optional touch of bourbon, as a glaze for a pound cake. The fruity intensity of these preserves works with savory foods, too: Try blending it with equal parts extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne pepper to toss with roasted carrots, sweet potatoes or butternut squash.
Mymouné Whole Dates Stuffed with Almonds
This compote of whole, jammy-sweet dates, each pitted and stuffed with an almond, is one of our favorite Lebanese desserts. Mymouné uses fresh Zaghloul dates, a long, red-skinned varietal that doesn't lose its texture when preserved, compared to other dates that become mushy. The addition of the almonds, softened by the cooking process, provides just enough crunch and a nutty balance to the dates' warm sweetness, which is complemented by the spicy aroma of a clove-infused syrup. This compote needs very little embellishment and can be eaten straight out of the jar, though we also like to serve it with chopped walnuts and coconut flakes sprinkled on top. Its rich flavor also makes a great addition to charcuterie boards as a sweet counterpoint for salty cured meats and pungent cheeses. Or try chopping the dates up as a topping for oatmeal or rice pudding.
Mymouné Sundried Fig Preserves
This dense, intensely flavored Lebanese Sundried Fig Jam is perfectly balanced and only moderately sweet. It consists of 75% fruit, so you can taste all the richness of the figs. We like how the decadent, warm sweetness is accented and made more interesting by subtle savory notes from aniseed, while the sesame seeds in the jam enhance the figs' natural texture. This thick, decadent fig jam also has chunks of fruit for a more satisfying bite. Spread it with butter or ricotta on toast or in a sandwich. You can also feature it on a cheese tray, paired with creamy goat cheese, or even add a little to a meat stew to balance heavier flavors. Or smear a little between layers of carrot cake along with cardamom-scented cream cheese frosting.
Mymouné Mulberry Preserves
This may be my favorite jam in the world, other than my favorite Sicilian Orange Marmalade. It is astonishingly refreshing and intriguing, with a flavor that balances sweetness and wild blueberry with wild herbs. It tastes undomesticated, as if it had been made in the far hills of some undiscovered country or something offered at the table in a Greek myth. It is great as a spread for pancakes (I love my own maple syrup but mulberry jam on pancakes is one of life’s rare treats), on toast, or on a fresh, hot corn muffin. Just delightful!