May 16

May 16 Jam Today

In these cash-strapped times, there’s a trend to fall back on ‘old favourites.’

In my case - Toast and Jam.

Once upon a time, it was simple. White sliced toast, spread with butter, and slathered with a mass produced strawberry jam.

Then it got complicated … which bread, which spread, which jam? The combinations were endless. Were any less pleasurable that any other? I think not.

The breakfast/brunch explosion of the 80’s and 90’s, and the appearance of things like Eggs Benedict, Pancakes with Syrup, and Smashed Avocado … with endless drip coffee refills pushed ‘Toast and Jam’ to the back of the queue.

Sadly so.

But it seems, the pandemic … where we all found ourselves stuck at home with no entertainment other than making Banana Bread … seems to have kicked off a revival in ‘Toast+’ The market size of jam in the UK is growing at something near 5% a year. It’s expected to grow annually by 4% A YEAR! About £350 million is spent on jam in the UK every year.

Why not. It’s a simple, pleasing hug of a dish.

But … it’s reawakened a slew of etiquette issues.

Which bread to use. Moving beyond simply brown or white sliced.
Who controls the toaster settings? Waiting for your single slice of toast to … toast with a queue of people behind you, aka, ‘The Stand of Shame.’
Who cleans the toaster after use.
Knife skills - separate ones for butter and jam to avoid crumbs or butter ending up in the jam pot. Does anyone actually have a dedicated butter knife any more?
What to do if you find mould in the top of the jam pot.
Eating toast and jam that’s fallen on the floor.
Providing individual butters and jams.
Jam flavours beyond the pale.
Jams ‘lifted’ from hotel breakfasts (own up).
Cutting your toast horizontally or diagonally (discuss.) I think this may be a class thing.
Correct ratios of jam to spread to bread.
When is it acceptable to eat jam on toast? Is there a cut off time? (no).
Drinking anything else but tea as an accompaniment.