Our Social-Economic-Ecological Jam
 
This berry jam is of foraged wildberries, indemic to the Maharashtran forests. You'll find surprising tidbits of farm grown mango ginger. This berry jam is less sweet and carries a bit of tart of the berry. Plus, the sexy colour!
 
The Backstory:
C. carandas is one of the few evergreen shrubs native to our forest, an oasis for wildlife in the dry summer months. About a decade ago, we saw the bushes reduce in our landscape, as do most things perceived to have no economic value. We created a jam recipe, which Chef Gayatri
Desai helped us refine. We put a price on the berry and spread the word. Members of our village collect the berries in the late summer while they're out grazing their cattle. They bring it to us in exchange for income.. to buy a new pair of slippers, a new dress, or splurge on junk food. What had humble beginnings has blown up into a seasonal effort, bringing us up to 60 kilos of this wild berry in season! And this is the backstory of our wildberry jam. We're thrilled to have introduced economic value to an endemic species, retaining its place in our own forests, bringing it's benefits back into our community. The cherry on top is the micronutrient boost these fruits provide.
 
The nutritional take: 
Karvanda is associated with many health benefits, it is an antioxidant, it cools the body (and thus ripens in the heat of the summer). It contains magnesium, vitamins, and tryptophan that help stimulate the production of serotonin, which improves mental health. 
 
The Jam: Is prepared in small batches and with sulphur-free sugar. The jam does not contain any added preservatives or colours.
 
Store: Cool and dry. Refrigerate once opened. 
 
Shelf Life: 1 year