This $2.99 ALDI Find Is a "Winner"—I Use It Every Day

It's a taste of summer in a jar.

<p>Simply Recipes / Getty Images</p>

Simply Recipes / Getty Images

ALDI's Berryhill Summer Jam flavors this year piqued my curiosity. Online, they list a selection of strawberry rhubarb and watermelon jams, and my first thought was, "Watermelon jam?" The idea was so strange that I couldn't help but add it to my grocery list.

When I got to the store, however, watermelon wasn't in stock, so I found myself choosing between strawberry rhubarb, pineapple coconut, and raspberry lychee. ALDI and Berryhill are not afraid to push the envelope on flavors, and driving away from the store, I regretted not picking up the pineapple coconut jam as well. So I'll be returning for that one as soon as possible (and crossing my fingers it's still there!).

We almost always have raspberry jam in our fridge, and the idea of the sweet, tart raspberry mingling with the delicate, floral notes of lychee sounded like the perfect partner to a leveled-up PB&J and a myriad of other things.

The truth is, this jam is delicious, with a relatively muted lychee flavor. These aren't your grandma's jams (though I'm sure she'd love them, too). Since picking up a jar, I've been slathering it on everything.

<p>Simply Recipes / Getty Images</p>

Simply Recipes / Getty Images

How I Use ALDI's Berryhill Jams

I've been experimenting with my raspberry lychee find, and it's a winner in many combinations. I love it on thick-cut sourdough toast with butter or peanut, almond, or hazelnut butter. For a brunch potluck, I made some rudimentary turnovers with puff pastry and jam-flavored cream cheese as the filling.

I also whipped up a post-swim cocktail with jam, fresh lemon juice, one ounce of gin, half an ounce of Aperol, and an egg white. And on a little cheese platter I threw together, it paired really well with Brie and chèvre.

It would also be great piped into doughnuts or muffins, mixed into Greek yogurt and served as a dipping sauce with pancakes or waffles, incorporated into parfaits, trifles, or layered cakes, as part of a glaze for grilled meat like pork chops or ribs, or mixed with vinegar and olive oil for a sweet hit to a vinaigrette. I have plenty more plans for what to do with it.

And even though I don't have the pineapple coconut jam in hand just yet, I'm already dreaming about coconut thumbprint cookies, a tropical fool with toasted coconut shreds and fresh fruit, and a rum-based cocktail for an instant beach vacation vibe at home. For $2.99, Aldi's Berryhill jams act as a gateway to culinary exploration and bring a hint of summer to your table any time of the year.

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.