While the pumpkin spice latte seems to have unseated apple cider as the official fall beverage, there’s still room in this world to celebrate the traditional treat. This time of year, apple cider is easy to find in big gallon jugs from the grocery store. Branching out, a place called Black Radish Creamery makes an apple cider jelly that captures all the things that are nice about autumn’s apple season.
Even in an age where the term “artisan” is widely misused, the creamery’s Sailor’s Cider Jelly is an artisan product. It’s sold in diminutive jars, with a hand-labeled batch number emblazoned across the top. Inside, the jelly glistens, catching light with a mouthwatering honey-gold hue.
A spoonful wiggles and jiggles and tastes like a spiked autumn punch. The little label says it’s got apple cider (certified organic from Sipple Family Farms), spiced rum, cloves, cinnamon and salt. It all plays together perfectly, especially with some melted butter on toast. That said, the label suggests pairing it with gruyere cheese, and the jelly does own some mysteriously buttery richness all by itself.
Outside the world of apple cider, there are lots of other items from Black Radish Creamery: it makes an array of creative jellies and preserves, mixing fruit with less conventional spices and occasionally wines. According to the website, it’s led by a Culinary Institute of America graduate. Based in New Albany, the original plan was to start a creamery to make cheese, but somehow, in making jellies and preserves to pair with cheese, an altogether different product line developed. Its jellies have even won awards, Black Radish Creamery’s King B preserves claimed a 2015 Good Food Award, it’s a combination of black raspberries, vanilla bean, and candied lemon zest.
And while Sailor’s Cider Jelly hasn’t won any awards yet, it’s hard to find a more appropriate fall flavor.
For more information, visit www.blackradishcreamery.com.