NEW: Caribbean Bay Leaves & Cherry Fennel Sherry Jam

MEET SHADEL, OUR NEWEST PARTNER FARMER  

Meet Shadel Nyack Compton, a long-practicing lawyer and third-generation farmer who manages her family's historic farm, Belmont Estate, in St. Patrick, Grenada.

Belmont Estate has been in continuous operation for over 300 years, growing cacao and a variety of spices and herbs. When Shadel's grandparents purchased Belmont Estate in 1944, they were the only agricultural estate owners of non-European descent in Grenada. They passed the estate down to Shadel's parents, who continued to farm the land.

Meanwhile, Shadel moved to the United States to get her law degree from Georgetown and work as a lawyer. A few years ago, she was called home to help run the farm with her aging parents. When she arrived, she was surprised to see that the farm had fallen into a state of disrepair, so she set to work to revitalize the farm in honor of her grandparents.

Today, the beautiful Belmont Estate hosts a farm, restaurant, bean-to-bar chocolate workshop, heritage museum and goat farm that produces exceptional goat cheese. Shadel has kept the focus of Belmont Estate squarely on incorporating Grenadian tradition and history, maintaining high standards of employment, being a steward to the land and growing exceptional food using organic practices.

(We know what you're thinking: Yes, you can and should visit Belmont Estate. Yes, it's over 80°F there right now.)

CARIBBEAN BAY LEAVES ARE UN-BAY-LEAF-ABLE

We met Shadel last year during a sourcing trip to Grenada. We were there to learn more about the nutmeg and mace that the island is famous for, but Shadel opened our eyes to an entire world of herbs and spices that grow prodigiously on the lush island, including our brand-new Caribbean Bay Leaves. 

Botanically distinct from the herbaceous, savory Laurel Bay Leaf (Laurus nobilis) that you may be accustomed to, the Caribbean Bay Leaf, which is in the Allspice family (Pimenta racemosa, sometimes known as West Indian Bay Leaf) has a sweeter, richer flavor.

This powerhouse of a spice tastes like cinnamon with traces of vanilla, allspice, eucalyptus and citrus zest, all rolled into one.

We fell in love with the flavor of the Caribbean Bay leaves, which are grown, hand-picked, dried and ground at Belmont Estate in Grenada, and Shadel was more than happy to share this incredible ingredient with us.

Wonderful in both savory and sweet applications, Caribbean Bay Leaves can be used like Laurel Bay Leaves: add to a pot of beans or a stew, or incorporate into a jerk rub (read on to get Shadel's personal recipe). The powder is glorious baked into breads and pound cakes or infused into cream.

If you're part of our Spice Club, you just received a jar. If you're not, you can now get your hands on this fragrant, sweet, floral spice.

We also got our hands on a limited supply of the whole leaves, so grab a packet with 12 whole leaves while we've still got them.

MAKE THIS OUTSTANDING JERK RUB

Like any good spice blend, jerk rubs are both familiar and deeply personal. There are the flavors you expect, but sometimes you'll taste indescribable differences, tweaks that were passed down for generations or that were added because, well, they taste good! 

Jerk rubs traditionally combine warm spices like allspice, nutmeg and ginger with dried herbs like thyme and oregano and have a good bloom of fiery heat, often from a Scotch bonnet pepper.

You can find Shadel's personal jerk recipe here. It uses 14 (!) different spices that come together in a riotous burst of flavor and heat. You can get all 14 spices from us, but we think these six spices (with the Caribbean Bay Leaves of course) are a good place to start:

Photo by Caleb Kenna @calebkenna

YOUR NEW FAVORITE: CHERRY FENNEL SHERRY JAM 

The first time we tried V Smiley's jams, we knew we were tasting the work of a true artist. Her jams are surprising and transportive, taking you straight to the farm fields in Vermont, where she grows the fruits, herbs and flowers that go into each of her evocative and delicious preserves.

This jam, made with New York cherries, was inspired by V’s trips out west, where she learned that the mouth-puckering sweet and sour bite of sour cherries are the secret to making a well-balanced, deeply flavorful cherry jam.

The Spanish Pedro Ximénez sherry vinegar adds acidity and richness, replacing most of the lemon juice that would be used for a traditional sweet jam, and our Lucknow Fennel adds sweet, herby, anise notes that complement the cherry flavor.

This jam is sweetened with honey and food-friendly. It makes an especially great companion to mustard. Try it in a Dijon vinaigrette and drizzle over potatoes, or slather it on a duck breast before roasting. Put it out on a cheese or charcuterie board, where it will make friends with everyone. Or spread it on French toast. However you eat it, you'll find your way to the bottom of this jar in no time.

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Burlap and Barrel, Inc. | Jackson Heights, NY 11372