Hey, I’m Kayla. I’m picky about jam. The spoon test matters to me. If it slides off like syrup, I pass. If it’s stiff like candy, I pass. I like fruit-first, bright, and spreadable.
So I spent a month with four French jams on my kitchen counter. I used them on toast, cheese, yogurt—plus a roast chicken that turned out way better than it had any right to. You know what? Some jars really sang.
What I Actually Bought And Ate
- Bonne Maman Strawberry and Apricot (the ones with the red gingham lids)
- St. Dalfour Four Fruits (sweetened with fruit juice)
- Favols Mirabelle Plum (light and golden)
- Christine Ferber Strawberry (yep, the fancy one—mine came from a small cheese shop in Chicago)
I didn’t just taste them on a spoon. I lived with them. Breakfast, snacks, dinner. I got sticky. My kids did too.
The Spoon Test: Taste, Texture, Truth
- Bonne Maman Strawberry
- Sweet, classic, and chunky. It spreads easy on warm toast.
- On a buttered baguette, it tasted like summer. No joke.
- Set: medium. Not runny. Not gummy.
- Bonne Maman Apricot
- Bright and sunny. Little tang. I used it most.
- Makes a fast glaze for fruit tarts or roast chicken.
- St. Dalfour Four Fruits
- Cleaner sweetness since it’s fruit-juice sweetened.
- Thinner set. Great for yogurt or crepes.
- Less “jammy” punch, but nice when you want balance.
- Favols Mirabelle Plum
- Gentle and floral. Like honey, but not heavy.
- Best with soft cheeses. Brie loved it.
- Christine Ferber Strawberry
- Splurge jar. Soft set, big fruit aroma.
- Not cloying. A tiny lemon note. Like fresh berries in a jar.
- Pricey, but I scraped every last bit.
Small nerd note: the set felt soft on the fancy jars. That means less gel and more fruit. It spread clean. No weeping on toast. My inner food nerd was happy.
Real-Life Moments With These Jars
- Monday, 7:15 a.m.: Toasted sourdough, salted butter, Bonne Maman Apricot. Coffee on the side. I went quiet for two minutes.
- Wednesday snack: A spoon of St. Dalfour swirled into plain yogurt. Handful of granola. Quick and not too sweet.
- Friday night: Baked brie with Favols Mirabelle and walnuts. It vanished fast. No leftovers. None.
- Sunday roast: Apricot jam + Dijon + thyme + a little water. Brushed on chicken during the last 15 minutes. Sticky skin. Happy table.
- Thumbprint cookies: Bonne Maman Strawberry in the center. They looked cute and tasted like a bake sale win.
- Crepe morning: St. Dalfour inside the crepe, fold, dust with powdered sugar. Kids cheered. I did too, kinda.
If you want to branch out beyond spreads, there’s also a gloriously crumb-covered rundown of French snacks I actually eat that’s perfect for mid-afternoon munchies.
What I Loved
- Fruit leads. Sugar doesn’t shout. You taste the fruit.
- The jar lids. That red gingham? It just feels friendly on the table.
- Special flavors you don’t always see here: cassis, mirabelle, black cherry.
- Plays well with others: bread, cheese, roast meats, even salad dressing.
What Bugged Me (A Little)
- Some jars (not naming names) lean sweet. If you don’t like sweet, go St. Dalfour or Ferber.
- Seeds. I like them in fig and raspberry, but kids may fuss.
- Price: Christine Ferber made my wallet sigh. My toast did not.
- Shelf note: Best taste in the first few weeks after opening. Keep it cold and use a clean spoon.
Quick Picks If You’re Standing In A Store Aisle
- Everyday toast: Bonne Maman Strawberry or Apricot
- Cheese board hero: Fig or Black Cherry (Bonne Maman or Favols)
- Yogurt buddy: St. Dalfour Four Fruits
- Fancy gift or treat-yourself: Christine Ferber Strawberry
- Cooking helper: Apricot for glaze and sauces
If you’d rather skip the grocery aisle and order directly from France, the curated selection at La Petite France ships these very jars (and more) straight to your door.
Tiny Tricks That Make It Better
- For glaze: Microwave a spoon of jam with a splash of water for 10 seconds. Brush on fruit tarts or chicken.
- Fast vinaigrette: 1 tsp jam + 1 tsp Dijon + 2 tbsp olive oil + vinegar + pinch of salt. Shake in a jar.
- Warm toast matters. Jam melts in a little and tastes brighter.
- Cheese match-ups: Mirabelle with brie, fig with goat cheese, black cherry with comté.
Need dessert inspiration after that cheese? This light-as-air dream of a French cheesecake might be exactly what your sweet tooth ordered.
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A Small French Thing I Love
In France, breakfast can be simple: good bread, butter, jam. That combo feels calm. No rush. No fuss. I tried that rhythm at home for a week. My mornings felt softer. Silly? Maybe. But it stuck.
The Verdict
French jam, when it’s good, tastes like fruit first and sugar second. That’s the whole plot.
I keep two jars around now:
- One classic (Bonne Maman Apricot)
- One “ooh, fancy” jar (Christine Ferber Strawberry when I can swing it)
Would I buy again? Yes. I already did. And I’m still using that apricot glaze on chicken. Honestly, it’s become my weeknight cheat code.