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Les Comtes de Provence

Les Comtes de Provence has been making jam for more than 30 years. Our manufactory is located in Peyruis, not far from Manosque, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department. Our expertise has allowed us to develop delicious recipes for jams, compotes, honeys, preserves, spreadables, marmalades, Provençal condiments and a wide variety of Provençal treats. Our products – most of them organic – have been made and prepared in Provence from original recipes for more than 30 years. The Comtes de Provence manufactory has been awarded Living Heritage Company (EPV) status. That status singles out French companies for their outstanding traditional expertise.

Organic

To meet growing demand for organic products, and out of respect for nature, we offer a whole range of products under the “Organic Farming” label. This organic range includes jams, compotes, honeys, preserves and Provençal condiments. Many of our products come in an organic version. These delicious, healthy organic recipes are cooked in pots, are rich in fruit (65%) grown without pesticides and are light in pure cane sugar. The raw materials are of the highest quality, rigorously selected and sourced from organic farms. Our organic range offers a wide array of flavours of incomparable jams, compotes that taste of Provence and preserves which can be enjoyed either warm or cold, as well as several varieties of honeys and pollens. These 100% natural products are selected exclusively within the European Union, from countries around the Mediterranean basin.

Jam

Our jams are made in Provence. They are organic jams produced by expertise inherited from ancient and artisanal jam recipes and cooked in pots. Thanks to this production process, our jams are full of flavour. Les Comtes de Provence jams are made of 65% organic fruit plus sugar. The whole fruits are cooked in pots, just like artisans used to do. The selected fruit is always ripe and juicy, allowing their full flavour to emerge when cooked. Only fruit which is brimming with water, sunshine and vitamins can endow jam with a powerful essence. The quality of the sugar we use is also essential to the taste qualities of the jam, which is why we only use sugar from sugar cane in our jams. The decision to cook the fruit in pots has a major impact on the quality of our jams. This traditional method utilized by artisans, not to mention our grandmothers, spreads the heat out to ensure the fruit cooks evenly. Thanks to this method of cooking in pots, the jam is very flavourful indeed. Jams can be made with many different fruits, such as figs, strawberries, quince, mirabelle plums, blackberries, rhubarb, plums, cherries, green tomatoes, blueberries and raspberries. Find all our flavours of Provençal jams in our online jam shop.

Compote

Like our jams, our compotes are also made from organic fruit and cane sugar, although they require slower cooking than traditional jam. Compote is not as sweet as jam, meaning it has a higher fruit content. Les Comtes de Provence has a wide range of compotes, some of which are organic. These traditional recipes are made with 85% organic fruit plus cane sugar to enhance the flavours. Like our jams, they are slow-cooked in pots to retain nice chunks of fruit and to reveal their full intensity and flavour. The most famous compote is undoubtedly apple sauce, although compotes can be made from many different fruits, such as: figs, pears, peaches, mirabelle plums, bananas, plums, strawberries and more. Find all our flavours of compotes made in Provence, rich in fruit and taste, in our online compote shop.

Marmalade

We distribute Scottish marmalades made by Mackays. Marmalade is a citrus jam containing chunks of fruit. It is made of juice, pulp and peel. Like Les Comtes de Provence, Mackays is a family-run business. It is based in Scotland and has been making world-famous marmalades for 70 years. It is also the last producer of orange marmalade in the region of Dundee. And Mackays is one of the last manufacturers in Europe – along with Les Comtes de Provence – to use the traditional method of cooking in an open pot, which gives its jams and marmalades the delicious taste of ancient recipes.

Honey

We offer a whole range of honeys, that are symbolic of Provence. Honey is a completely natural food, made by bees and harvested by a beekeeper. It provides a multitude of benefits. To make honey, the bees gather pollen from plants and flowers, extracting the nectar to carry back to the hive. The bees’ enzymes than transform it into honey. Now, the beekeeper can harvest the honey. Depending on where the hive is installed, the bees will tend to gather pollen from a certain type of plant, whose characteristics are then passed on to the honey. As a result, the colour, tint, storage, flavour and texture of the honey are determined by the harvest location and by the plants whose pollen the bees collect. In Provence, beehives are installed amidst specific flora found on garrigue scrubland, which creates a very strong local aromatic identity for this honey. Lavender honey in particular is a Provençal speciality. Lavender is plentiful in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department, where Les Comtes de Provence has its factory. So, it was only natural for us to feature it in order to remain true to our region and its traditions. We also offer organic honeys and pollens, that are obtained when the flower pollen is completely natural and not cultivated using any chemicals. The hive must be positioned far away from any intensive farming concerns using pesticides. Likewise, the hive must be made of natural, untreated materials. The bee farming and harvesting conditions are stricter and highly controlled for any honey that aims to obtain an organic label. In other words, it is pure, 100% natural honey! The properties and benefits of honey are well-established and have been known since the dawn of time. Consuming honey every day improves the intestinal flora, soothes the throat, and more. As an antioxidant, it neutralizes free radicals which are responsible for the ageing process, as well as many illness like cardiovascular issues. It also has strong antibacterial powers. In addition, honey has a low glycaemic index, making it a food of choice for people with diabetes, who have to follow a special diet. Honey is a perfect substitute for sugar. Honey can be enjoyed warm or cold, on toast, in pastries, in cuisine, and so on. Honey is also used as an ingredient in many formulas of natural cosmetics: hair masks, face creams, nourishing treatments, etc. And honey is an excellent moisturizer that boosts the skin’s radiance, which is why honey is often included in recipes for home-made cosmetics.

Gourmet flavours

Les Comtes de Provence is not just about jam, compote and marmalade. It also makes sweet and savoury treats. You can serve them with your dishes or use them to make tasty, original amuse-bouches or tapas which will blow your guests away: onion chutney or fig preserves to accompany foie gras, mustard made with truffles from Provence or with herbes de Provence to spice up your meat, or spreadables for snacks or original cocktail nibbles. Or use our chestnut products to make delicious soups, as a fantastic accompaniment for your meat dishes or your gourmet crêpes. All our Provençal products will be your partners for creative, surprising and original cuisine with the wonderful tastes of Provence. You will only be limited by your own imagination when it comes to treating your family or guests.

Gifts from Provence

Indulging yourself feels good, but indulging others feels even better! Which is why Les Comtes de Provence offers a whole range of gift ideas featuring touches of Provence. Gourmet gift baskets, product assortments, cooking utensils, aprons, tea towels, mugs and more are available from our online Provençal gift shop. Or, if you would rather let your loved ones choose for themselves, you could offer them a gift card they can use to buy products from Provence, chosen freely after taking all the time they need.