Two excellent spreads.

Your toast just got better. These are two of our favorite jams from a small-batch producer, handmade on Orcas Island (6 ounces each):

• Shiro Plum with Mint Spoon Preserve: We love the brightness of this Asian varietal – and find it pairs fabulously with mint. This preserve vies for most versatile -- it's awesome with toast, excellent with cheese, and perfect for anything you’d use a mint sauce on (pork, chicken, or lamb). For a simple appetizer, serve it alongside goat cheese, or gussy it up with a little prosciutto. Go nuts: reduce wine, butter, shallots, add half a jar plus a pinch of salt and glaze a few duck breasts during the last five minutes of cooking.
• Apple Caramel Spoon Preserve: Tart heirloom Bramley apples cut the sweetness of this deeply caramelized preserve, great with soft, creamy cheeses. It’s equally at home on a crusty baguette adult style or spooned over poundcake. Did we mention butter? The real kind. It loves butter. Try serving alongside pork chops or tossing half the jar in the pan for a simple sauce.