SINCE 2021
The 15 Year Obsession Behind Every Jar.
Big Jalm is what happens when a chef's curiosity refuses to quit, and the fruit fields of Oregon keep answering back.
HOW IT STARTED
Tayberries. It all began with tayberries.
In 2016, Carl Momberger ran a catering kitchen on the edge of the agricultural region in Washington County, OR. One June morning, his produce buying guide featured an unfamiliar item called a tayberry for $30 per lb. “What’s so special about these berries? Are they going to do my taxes for me?” he asked, incredulously.
This peculiar berry prompted research to find out what they were and why they were so expensive. In the course of that research, he found that they were available for U-Pick only three miles away at Hoffman Farms. Within minutes, he could hold this berry and learn its secrets.
EARLY DAYS
From Friends & Family to Loyal Customers
In spring 2017, he started making jams and selling them to friends and family under the name Golden Eel Jams. That first year saw the production of 14 different jams and a lot of on-the-job training. Tromping through muddy fields and eating exotic berries made this labor of love a lot of fun.
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The first subscription service began in 2018, with both summer fruit and winter fruit subscriptions available. It was a smashing success, leading to over 30 different jam flavors getting produced that year. The jams all became so popular that Carl decided to take the product to the people!
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Golden Eel Jams became a mouthful to explain to people, as many folks thought that perhaps the jams were made with EELS! In an effort to reduce the confusion, and perhaps create more, Carl's lovely wife, Amanda, suggested the name Big Jalm, with the silent 'L" representing LOVE! The new name, an immediate hit, represents the enormous amount of love surrounding our jams. Big Jalm finds the best family grown fruit and preserves that fruit for the ages.
The Jalmily
The Jalmily is what we call the loyal mob of toast lovers, gift givers, and breakfast purists who keep us cooking. Welcome.