Appetizer, Antipasto, Salsa or Dip 2008

Outstanding Appetizer, Antipasto, Salsa or Dip 2008: Robert Lambert Dark Cherries Preserved in Merlot Syrup

Six years ago, friends of Robert Lambert, an award-winning cook-book author and chef, grew tired of waiting to receive gifts of his condiments and convinced him instead to sell them. Now, his Dark Cherries Preserved in Merlot Syrup have won top sofi™ honors.

The condiment is made of dark cherries—with the pits still intact—paired with fruity merlot and complex hints of raspberry, scented geranium, galangal root, bergamot, black pepper, cinnamon, vanilla and bay. “I try to create a matrix that evokes and accentuates the cherries in the flavor notes of the wine, herbs, spices and my own syrups,” says Lambert.

Lambert likes to create condiments that he calls “slow food for fast food—things a home chef can add to something simple to make it simply extraordinary.” He produces non-traditional savory-sweet products that can be used with main courses or desserts. “While many say they want these cherries on ice cream, I prefer them with lamb, duck, roast pork or cheese,” he notes. “But, I like to encourage my customers to decide where and how they want to use my products.”

Lambert chose to keep the cherry pits intact for a number of reasons: “People eat olives with pits all the time without complaint. Removing the pits would destroy the integrity of the fruit, causing it to get mushy in the jar. People appreciate the texture and the fact that the cherries stay firm and whole.”

Simple yet elegant packaging in canning jars accents the product’s homemade but high-quality attributes. Suggested retail: $12-$14/8-ounce jar; robertlambert.com.—Denise Shoukas

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