Aronia Berry Jam, Jelly, And Tea By Sunny Lane Aronia

Try tea, jelly and jam made with wine-like aronia berries

We take pride in an organized kitchen.

But open the correct two doors and you'll be faced with the packed-in, overflowing proof of dual obsessions: jam and tea.

To our cabinets' chagrin, but palate's pleasure, we found an addition to each bounty during a recent trip to the Sunny Lane Aronia stand at the Evanston farmers' market.

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There, Theresa Santiago sells jam, jelly and tea made from organic, antioxidant-packed aronia berries.

The jam ($8), a thick spread made with pulverized whole berries, has a flavor reminiscent of blueberries and dried cherries, a wine-like tannic bite, and a grainy texture that we prefer mixed with another ingredient (peanut butter works nicely). Santiago's jelly ($8) is smoother, made from the berries' juice and pulp, and needs only a piece of toast to shine.

The leftover skins and pulp are dried, crushed and packed into tea bags ($4) with organic hibiscus and orange peel to create a lushly fruity brew that's especially excellent iced. For the cheese board, there's hot pepper jelly, made with aronia juice and more than 10 kinds of peppers from Santiago's farm.

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Birds ravaged this summer's harvest, but Santiago is stocked with tea and preserves, and will bring a batch of smoothie-ready frozen berries to the market in about a month, once the weather cools.

Find Sunny Lane Aronia products at the Downtown Evanston farmers' market, City ProvisionsIrv & Shelly's Fresh Picks and, on Wednesday, 9/21, only, at the Green City Market.

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