Review/Giveaway: Preservation Society Pepper Jelly

My grandmother died five years ago. She was a professional party thrower, before it was a profession, and never had a soiree without her signature dish, which featured Pepper Jelly, cream cheese and crackers.

So when I was asked to review The Preservation Society’s Pepper Jelly, the day after what would have been her 95th birthday, it seemed like a sign.

I was not disappointed!

My pepper jelly arrived in a small box with a 10 oz and a 4.4 oz jar. Upon closer inspection, the label’s matron looked surprisingly similar to my grandmother. However, unlike the pepper jelly my grandmother used, which was a shocking shade of red or green never found in nature, The Preservation Society's Pepper Jelly does not have food coloring in it, thus allowing the gorgeous amber color to shine through.

Upon closer inspection, I saw the jelly was sprinkled with real specks of pepper, dancing through the jar. I knew I was in for a real treat!

I checked the ingredient list on the back and I had heard of--and could pronounce--every item on the back:

Pure Cane Sugar, Apple Cider Vinegar, Red Bell Peppers, Green Bell Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, Pectin, Habanero Peppers, Citric Acid

The Preservation Society prides itself on the purity of their ingredients, they don't use high fructose corn syrup and they use a pectin that does not have Sodium Benzoate, which has been linked to hyperactivity in kids and cancer. In fact, the ingredient list was fairly simple and basically boiled down to peppers, sugar and pectin.

I decided to share my grandmother’s signature dish with my children. I put an 8 oz block of cream cheese on a plate, covered it in the pepper jelly and surrounded the concoction with water crackers. I put the dish down on the table and grabbed a butter knife.

The Pepper Jelly was spicy and sweet, and the creaminess of the cream cheese intensified the flavors while mitigating the "heat" of the jelly. Honestly, it was simple, elegant and tasted amazing, I could see why it was my grandmother’s go-to party dish.

My only regret is that my grandmother never lived long enough to try this amazing spread!

The jelly was a sophisticated blend of spicy and sweet. which was enhanced by the creaminess of the cheese and the bland cracker allowed the toppings to shine.

My son thought it was a wee bit spicy…. My daughters inhaled the concoction….

I am not kidding, it was gone in 5 minutes.

So I had to do it again with bagels, to get pictures. And so I could enjoy some, too! (aww, the sacrifice!)


My daughters and I had a great time reminiscing about my grandmother. She had played a huge role in my life. However, they don’t really remember her. However, she lives on in them. I see her in their love of animals, my middle child’s love of fashion.

And now, their love of pepper jelly….

Grandmother's Pepper Jelly & Cream Cheese

8 oz block of cream cheese
~3 oz The Preservation Society’s Pepper Jelly (enough to cover the cream cheese)
Box of water crackers (or sliced bagels)

Place the block of cream cheese on the plate and spread the pepper jelly on top of the cream cheese, be generous with the jelly. Serve with Water Crackers or bagel slices.

The Preservation Society's Pepper Jelly can be found at specialty retailers, like My Organic Market, or on Amazon.com.

You can also order directly from the manufacturer by emailing sales@preservationpeople.com.

The Preservation Society Website
The Preservation Society on Facebook




If you'd like to give this delightful treat a try, The Preservation Society are allowing us to host a giveaway, as well!  The winner of this giveaway will be sent  a jar of 11oz Pepper Jelly and a jar of 4.4oz Pepper Jelly just like they sent me. The retail value is approx. $13 + shipping.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment in this entry as instructed by the Rafflecopter, then leave the name you commented under and your email in the box in the Rafflecopter entry. (This allows us to contact you if you win!)  This will open up additional optional entries to increase your odds of winning.

This giveaway is open to US RESIDENTS ONLY
and will end just before midnight ET on 4-28-15. 

The winner will be notified by email within 24 hours after the end of the giveaway.  In order to claim the giveaway prize, the winner will need to respond within 24 hours of notification, or an alternate winner will be selected.

Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway