When I was grocery shopping over the weekend, I hit the Fruit Butter jackpot.
First is Fig Butter. I snapped up two jars. My TJ’s had been out of it for the past few months even though a friend in NorCal told me her TJ’s had it in stock. Fig growing season is shorter here in San Diego than it is in Nor Cal and fig butter is apparently harder to come by here. How’s that for uber-regional distribution.
And I always have mango butter on hand so picked up another jar of that.
And I picked up another jar of Pumpkin Butter. Gotta get it before it’s gone for the season.
The only butter I didn’t pick up was the honey apple butter. I’ve had it in the past but like mango butter, it’s always available at my TJ’s, so there was no pressure to hoard.
Now that I’ve got more fruit butters in my cupboards than should be legal, I better make something with them.
I don’t have to make anything “special” with them, of though. Dipping my spoon into the jar is perfectly acceptable. I mean, doesn’t everyone eat nut butter, jelly, jam, and fruit butter spreads straight out of the jar? Ahem.
I am going to make a Caramel Maple Pumpkin Pie Smoothie with some pumpkin butter drizzled on top
That, or some Caramel Pumpkin Whip Dip with pumpkin butter either on top or in the mixture
And for the fig butter I’d like to try to incorporate it into something like No-Bake Oatmeal Raisin Carrot Cake Bites
And somehow I’d like to work Mango Butter into No Bake Mango & White Chocolate Cookie Dough Bites
I could have a field day with my butters. I better hurry up and make something before they get used in a more boring way like on bread and crackers, as fruit dips, or the spoon-in-jar technique. Nothing wrong with that, though.
The winner of the $100 Visa Giftcard & Pedometer Giveaway is:
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope October 21, 2011 at 3:30 am
Best. Giveaway. Ever. 
1. Bundle up and take a walk outside! The leaves are beautiful here right now, and I’m taking full advantage of the not-so-freezing-cold weather while it lasts. 2. Enjoy the seasonal produce! I’ve been loving all the apples (ok, maybe just honeycrisp… it’s an obsession 
), perfect sweet potatoes, and pears right now.
Congrats, Heather!
Questions:
1. Are you a jelly/jam, fruit preserves or fruit spread fan?
I am not really sure why they are called fruit “butter” rather than jelly. I surmise because they are not “clear” like jellies are.
In my book, fruit, pectin, and some sugar is jelly. And if left chunky, it’s jam or preserves.
And yes, I am a fan of all of the above.
2. Have you ever tried fruit butters? What kind?
For those of you without access to a TJ’s, you can order these types of things online. Google away.
I know Whole Foods has fig butter (I think it’s their 365 line) and I’m sure plenty other varieties, but I try to stay out of that store as much as possible. Those aisles and rows of unique condiments from nut butters to fruit butters to exotic spices to new-to-me chips and crackers and dried fruit and energy bars and the list goes on so I just keep out.
3. Best thing you ate or did over the weekend?
I hope you had a good one.
I baked. A lot. BakeStravaganza indeed.
Hope your week is off to a good start!
P.S. I have a favor to ask. Please vote here for my No Bake PB Biscoff Cookie Dough Bites in the Delta Biscoff Bakeoff. You can vote once per day for the next week. Thank you! If I win, I could win a culinary dream trip to NYC, Napa or LA. It just takes a second to click and vote. Thank you so much!
I love how you said “there was no pressure to hoard” in reference to not picking up the honey apple butter because it’s always in stock. I totally agree – there’s only so much room in my pantry and pumpkin-y things are getting the prime real estate these days! :)
Not a big fruit butter person but that is because i have hardly tried them all, Thanks for this post and I will step it up at my next T Joes visit.
Wow, look at all the baking you did over the weekend! I will for sure vote chicka!
:)
I am so not butter savvy…I have peanut butter…and butter butter. Other than baking with it, and eating it with a spoon, what can you do with fruit butter?
Brooke
http://www.TheAnnessaFamily.blogspot.com
well between eating straight up and baking!!! I will never get bored. The what else can you do? Basically what can’t you do is the better question. The recipes I could come up with if I had the time…oh lordy me…I could have so much fun :)
I love all fruit (and veggie) butters..but pumpkin butter will always be my number one :-)
I have only ever tried apple butter, but I would like to try pumpkin butter.
I saw chocolate covered potato chips at TJ’s the other day and thought of you. ;) They look terrible (as in terribly amazing) and the bag wouldn’t be around for long in my house. The significance between jellies and fruit butters is the sugar content. At least, I think. I do know they’re tasty.
I never thought I was much of a “butter” fan, but LOVED the TJs mango butter. So good. I don’t use preserves often, but it’s almost always gotta be strawberry. In fact you just reminded me that I need to use preserves more often – makes awesome marinades and dressings.
I love T Joe’s mango butter; I usually just lather it heavily atop my toast and call it heaven. But now I want to raid your pantry with your gorgeous assortment of delectable butters – yum!
I prefer fruit in its natural state mostly. I like the fig butter, but the mango butter has a liquid consistency that makes it appear and taste like syrup.
I intended to make the caramel pumpkin whip dip. Unfortunately, I came home to moldy pumpkin… so I’ll venture out to TJ’s tonight.
That sucks about your pumpkin. That’s where pumpkin puree in a can comes in handy. And if you don’t like sweet things, per your comment about the syrupy mango butter, the pumpkin whip dip is sweet…The texture is fluffy and it’s not syrup-ey at all, but yes, it’s sweet.
I loveee jellies! I’m actually now regretting that I didn’t pick up a jar of that fig butter when I stopped by TJ’s last week during my day trip to Cali. I guess I can try the one at WF’s?
I can’t wait to see what you baked up this past weekend because those cookies in your last post look ahhhmazingg! :)
mmm tons of yummy flavors going on here. I don’t buy jam very often, but pumpkin butter is def my favorite. When it comes to butter I stick with the original stuff- salted creamy butter :)
This weekend I made my own fruit butter of sort…in the bowl went pumpkin puree, peanut flour and vanillla almond milk – simple and quite delicious for apple dipping…or of course eating with a spoon ;)
congrats on your new car. Just saw your last post.
WOW WOW WOW all those fruit butters look just divine. I want to run to trader joes right now and buy all of them!!
I am a huge apple butter fan, but sadly that’s all I’ve tried, ha.
Thank you thank you thank you again SOOOO much Averie!!! Seriously made my week. :) :) :)
I used to be more into jam/preserves than I am now, but I still like them. I used to buy organic Apple Butter all the time… SO good!
Congrats, girlie!
Enjoy as I know you will :)
Wow! I have never seen such a plethora of butter varieties in my life! :) Bet they’re all delicious!
Mmmm I love apple and pumpkin butters. I think fruit butters are way more spreadable and decadent than jams and jeliies! Waymore conducive to dipping and/or spreading.