Wexen Jam

The Wexen Isles are famous for their fruit preserves. They are a ubiquitous part of a household's daily meals, especially during the cold winter months, and in the towns and cities where fresh fruit is much less common than out in the countryside. Jams are typically eaten in the morning, served alongside toasted bread, porridge, or oatmeal, and in the evening with roast meat when fresh meat is available.   The traditional Wexen Jam is made from fresh local fruits, whatever is currently in season, cooked with honey or beet sugar on a low heat until the fruit congeals and then poured into an earthenware crock to set and store for later. The town of Lantwych is one of the main sources of crocks for storing jam in.   It is believed that the name "James" has its origin in jam making.    

Folk Beliefs

  Due to the status of jam as a household staple across the Wexen Isles, various folk beliefs and superstitions about the most common varieties of fruit jams have arisen in various places over time.    

Green apple jam

  Green apple jam is typically quite a tart preserve that pairs well with hot roast red meat, particularly boar and swine. It is said that the consumption of Green apple jam improves a person's vigour, and is often consumed by farmers during long days of toiling out in the fields.    

Red currant jam

  Red currant jam is a typically sweet preserve typically served with the morning's porridge and oatmeal. It is said that the consumption of Red currant jam improves a person's constitution, and is often given to the sick to help them recover from their maladies. It is known as a cure for scurvy when given in generous quantities.    

Bramble jam

  Bramble jam is made from a mix of black and red berries that grow on thorny bramble vines and is as sweet as it is tart. It is said that the consumption of Bramble jam is good for the mind and spirit, and is the preferred jam of scholars and philosophers.    

Lune jam

  Prepared by old, wise, and mute monks cloistered in secluded monasteries up in the Pikes, the secret recipe of Lune jam is the subject of much speculation and mystique. It shimmers silver in its crock, likened to the winter moon reflected off of a misty lake. Unlike other jams, Lune jam is not consumed in the traditional way. Instead, it is mixed with brandy and served hot as a ward against evil and to purge the soul of a year's sin.