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Prepare the toasted coriander simple syrup first, and have on hand for other uses. To make a nonalcoholic version of this cocktail, replace tequila with extra club soda or grapefruit seltzer for added sweetness. Photo by Sara Schober. Makes 1 cocktail Ingredients 1-1/2 ounces silver tequila 1 ounce grapefruit juice 1 ounce toasted coriander simple syrup 1/4 ounce lime juice Ice Club soda Toasted coriander seeds for garnish For Toasted Coriander Simple Syrup 1/2 cup toasted coriander seeds 2 cups water 2 cups sugar Instructions Shake all ingredients together except for club soda. Strain and pour into a Collins glass filled with ice. Top with club soda and coriander seeds. To make toasted coriander simple syrup : Place seeds in a pot with water and sugar. Simmer over medium-heat until sugar melts. When cool, strain coriander seeds from syrup.

No room for a garden? No problem. Grow everything you need for a salad in one container. Photo by Wesley Parsons. Lacking the space and/or energy for a traditional vegetable garden? Reconnect with that inner green thumb and consider container gardening, a concept readily adaptable to specific personal requirements, homescape conditions and, most importantly, one’s individual taste. One of the easiest ways to kick-start a foray into container cropping is with the creation of a fresh salad planter, filled to the brim with a personally chosen combination of select salad greens, herbs and edible flowers. Garden centers are well-stocked with seasonal plant starts and seed varieties, as well as interesting pottery and containers in all shapes, sizes and colors. GETTING STARTED Salad vegetables and annual flowers especially lend themselves to mixed container plantings, as their shallow fibrous roots allow for the possibility of fitting a fair number of plants into a relatively small space. The main consideration is that proper levels of water, sunlight and fertilization are consistently maintained. Make sure the potting soil you choose is a blended mix (organic, if possible) suitable for containers AND that the pot selected provides adequate drainage. If, after your plants are in place, space allows for the addition of some vegetable seeds, consider a light shaking of companion, baby-sized varieties for added texture and interest. WHAT TO GROW The combinations are endless and limited only by the size of your container and the desires of your appetite. With consistent watering and applications of organic fertilizer (think Espoma brand Tomato-Tone) you should have a continuous and bountiful harvest throughout the season. Overwhelmed by the abundance of artisanal vegetable and herb varieties on the nursery market shelves? It might help to treat your shopping trip as a walk through a basic pizza menu, with the selected size container as your “pizza” base (small/medium/large/extra large) with desired “toppings” chosen from the following columns.* *The plants listed are suggestions, so let your own imagination and taste buds be your guide. Bon appetit!

Eight things you can do to help build a healthy bee population in our region. Bo Sterk tends to his bees in St. Augustine, Florida. Photo by Kristen Penoyer. If managing honey bee hives isn't your thing, there are still plenty of ways you can encourage the health and well-being of the bee populations in our region. Here are eight simple tips: 1. Plant native plants! Try herbs, trees, shrubs, and flowers. Basil, lemon balm, mint, rosemary, gallberry, silverthorn, cosmos, salvia and blue daze are all great choices. 2. Provide a fresh water source for bees. 3. Buy local honey. 4. Support a local food system; buy from small-scale farms that are not as likely to engage in monoculture. 5. Cut down or eliminate pesticide use. 6. If you must use pesticides, try not to use powders, as they can stick to bees’ legs. Apply later in the evening when bees are less active. 7. If you see a swarm, call a beekeeper for advice and/or assistance. 8. Learn more by contacting a local beekeeper association. To learn more about honey bees and beekeeping in our region, visit the UF Honey Bee Research website .

Shake up this refreshing, fruity cocktail for happy hour on a warm day. Photo by Amanda Rosenblatt. Serves 1 Ingredients 2 ounces Stiggins Pineapple Rum ½ ounce Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur ½ ounce Giffard Vanille de Madagascar 1 ounce lime juice 3-4 dashes Fee Brothers Peach Bitters Ice Peach slice Instructions Combine the first 5 ingredients in a cocktail tin, add ice and shake. Strain into a Collins glass over ice. Garnish with fresh peach slice.

This colorful caramelized upside down cake marries the bright, acidic flavor of tomatoes with the pillowy sweetness of cornmeal to create a dessert that’s bursting with summer flavor. Botanically, tomatoes are fruit, so why not use them for dessert? Photo by Cole LoCurto. Makes 1 (9-inch) cake Ingredients 2 pounds plum tomatoes (about 15 depending on size) 1 cup sugar plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided 1-½ teaspoons salt, divided 3 tablespoons coconut oil ⅔ cup cornmeal ⅔ cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ⅔ cup butter, room temperature 2 eggs Zest of 1 lemon 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 sprig tarragon, chopped Instructions Preheat oven to 350°. Slice tomatoes in half lengthwise and set aside. In a 9-inch cast iron skillet, caramelize ¼ cup sugar over medium heat, stirring gently, until it melts and is amber in color. (The sugar will begin to turn amber quickly once it starts to melt.) Deglaze with balsamic vinegar. Add 1 teaspoon salt and coconut oil to skillet and combine well. Place tomatoes cut side down in skillet and roast in oven for 20 minutes. Combine cornmeal, flour, ½ teaspoon salt and baking powder in a bowl and set aside. Cream together butter and ¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar. Add eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice and tarragon to butter mixture and combine well. Add dry ingredients and mix until flour is well combined. Increase oven temperature to 375°. Pour batter evenly into skillet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until top is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a plate. Serve warm.

Experiential Dining Changes with the Setting Guests at Swallowtail Farm get a tour of the grounds by farmer Noah Shitama before dinner. Photo by Dave Miller. Given the growth of the hospitality industry over the past 50 years, eating out has become commonplace for many of us. The process of going to a restaurant – choosing a dish or drink from the menu, being served by wait staff, paying the check – is generally the same wherever you are dining. (Fast-casual concepts offer a modified different model, with ordering and sometimes picking up food at a counter by the customer.) Sometimes, though, diners want more than great food, great service and appealing ambiance. Yes, those elements are important, but some of us seek new gastronomic adventures as an alternative to the traditional setting. Whether it’s a one-time menu, movable location or chef collaborations, these types of meals are unique and memorable because they depart from a typical restaurant visit. They set the stage, and the table, for experiential culinary outings. A variety of pop-up dining concepts have become more familiar to diners over the past 10 years. Whether it’s a not-yet-open restaurant building a fan base, a chef experimenting for one night only or meals in an unusual setting, these limited experiences have grown in popularity with adventurous diners. Because of the fleeting nature of the event, social media is used to promote reservations and ticket sales. Once word gets out, however, especially if the chef has a following, seats fill quickly. Just ask Barry Honan, chef-owner of Lotus Noodle Bar in St. Augustine. He recently organized a dinner featuring five well-known local chefs for the Friends of James Beard Benefit series and all 150 seats sold out in about two hours. “Collaborating with the James Beard Foundation was a fantastic opportunity to elevate St. Augustine's gastronomic scene. It allowed us to showcase the Foundation's emphasis on community engagement and promoting creativity, while celebrating the city's unique history,” says Honan. Even though the organization is a powerhouse in the culinary world, he was surprised yet pleased by how quickly tickets sold out. “If you are a passionate food lover, the opportunity to engage in such a significant event is an occasion you wouldn't want to miss,” says Honan. “To me, the moment is akin to discovering that your favorite band is performing nearby. Anticipation builds, and the urgency to secure your tickets is undeniable. And let's not forget, it was a hell of a lineup!” In addition to Honan, featured chefs included Genie McNally, Matthew Brown, Marcel Vizcarra and Joshua Smith. Chef collaborations have become a one-stop opportunity to sample a mash-up of cuisines and techniques. Mesa, an Indian restaurant in the Avondale neighborhood of Jacksonville, partners with guest chefs throughout the year in what they call Mesa Food Lab. “We explore a variety of cuisines in our multi-course tasting menus and beverage pairings,” says Saji George, Mesa’s owner. “It gives us a chance to showcase traditional flavors in dishes with a twist.” Mesa Lab has hosted a tacomakase, (a crafted taco tasting menu), and featured Vietnamese, Levantine, Italian and farm-to-table menus, with others in the works. When dining in a non-traditional location, the setting itself becomes a part of the experience and creates a sense of novelty and exclusivity. The dinner benefitting the James Beard Foundation was held at the historic Peña-Peck House Museum and Gift Shop, one of the few remaining First Spanish Period buildings (1565 - 1763) in St. Augustine. The museum is managed by The Women’s Exchange, an organization whose mission is to help women enhance their economic stability, promote local artisans and preserve and show the historic Peña-Peck House. “We have a commercial kitchen and we’ve hosted other special events in our award-winning ornamental gardens,” says Brooke Gast, president of the local chapter. “During the pandemic, because we couldn’t open our gift shop, we had pop-up restaurants in the gardens as a way to raise funds for the organization. We weren’t sure how they would go over, but they were well-received. The dinner for the James Beard Foundation is an evolution of those events.” As diners gain an awareness of the need to support local agriculture, experiencing a meal on a farm has become more popular. When Swallowtail Farm in Alachua hosts seasonal dinners with visiting chefs, the menus typically feature just-picked vegetables from the fields around the tables set up under oaks on the farm and other locally produced ingredients. At a recent dinner, a guest was overheard to say he had never been to a farm before. “The dinners are a way that we can share this beautiful setting and help others appreciate what goes into growing and raising our food,” says Noah Shitama who owns and operates Swallowtail along with his partner Melissa Muller. Other nearby farms that offer dining experiences include The Feed Mill in St. Augustine, The Farm at Okeefenokee in Folkston, Georgia and Congaree and Penn in North Jacksonville. “Our approach to dining at Congaree and Penn is always evolving. Since hosting our first Friday Night Fish Fry in 2015 we continue to enjoy bringing people together with good food and good times rooted in making new connections,” says Scott Meyer, who owns and operates Congaree and Penn along with his wife Lindsay. “We particularly enjoy offering shared experiences through community events like the oyster social and our lowcountry boil that transform strangers into friends via the shucking of a first oyster or debating the proper ratio of Old Bay to butter.” If you’re looking for a break from the confines of traditional dining, be on the lookout for the occasional experiential culinary event. It's not just about the food, it’s the setting, storytelling and spaces that create memorable moments in our lives. Dining out is always evolving and these types of experiences help shape our connections to what and where we eat.

With a focus on local flavor, The Amp’s renowned hospitality program has made the venue a repeat destination for big-name touring artists. Lorelei Soule at a carving station of beef tenderloin cooked in red wine reduction, one of the dinners for Widespread Panic performing at the St. Augustine Amp. Photos by Melissa Marcarelli. Touring rock stars can be demanding. Infamously so. In music lore, stories of backstage provisos are as much a part of an artist’s mythology as their chart-topping albums and on-stage performances. And no band’s backstage antics were more exacting – more absurd or legendary – than Fleetwood Mac’s. While touring their world-beating 1977 smash, Rumours, the group requested, each night, a medieval-times-invoking feast replete with a 40-foot harvest table, ornate dining chairs fit for kings and queens and a spread consisting of a whole-roasted pig, piles of fruits and vegetables and bottles of vintage champagne. Between lavish catering, the band’s prodigious drug habit and Stevie Nicks’ insistence she have a white (not black or brown) grand piano delivered to her accommodations (always a penthouse suite), the tour made little or no profit, despite the group selling out nearly every arena in which they performed. Maybe you’ve heard about Van Halen banning brown M&M’s from their dressing room, a demand snuck in among specs for lighting and sound as a way to ensure the venue carefully read the whole technical rider. Still, few acknowledge the poor soul who, in advance of each Van Halen performance circa 1980, meticulously plucked every brown M&M from a bowl. Though they’ve yet to deal with M&M’s or grand pianos, Kelley Westfield and Sarah Masters, hospitality managers at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, have done just about everything else. Whether an artist requests hard-to-find organic foods, an on-site massage therapist or a spiritual advisor, the duo is there to oblige. One classic rocker’s visit to The Amp fell on Super Bowl weekend. So, Westfield and Masters planned an offsite watch party at Anastasia Island cocktail lounge Odd Birds for the artist and his crew. A renowned soul singer required a dressing room with a certain je ne sais quoi. The duo piped and draped the whole thing in white curtains, and furnished the space with white love seats and tables. “You’re an icon. You can ask for whatever you want,” Westfield says of the unnamed but peerless soul singer, whose rider also included bowls of caviar. “We're very proud of how we take care of everyone backstage,” Masters says. “We go above and beyond.” I’m talking to Masters and Westfield on a relatively quiet Wednesday afternoon in the venue’s backstage catering hall, a bright and airy communal space that reads like a hip summer camp cantina, with exposed industrial ceilings, reclaimed-wood walls and dining tables set with black tablecloths, hemp runners and floral arrangements. Lining the walls are hundreds of framed concert posters, each one commissioned by The Amp, designed by the Atlanta-based artist Jared Swafford and signed by the bands. The next show is still two days away, but preparations have already begun. Late last night, three semi-trucks arrived on the property, delivering the sound and lighting rigs, guitars, amps and miscellaneous music gear for the enduring jam band Widespread Panic. Crew for the Athens, Georgia-bred group is scheduled to arrive early tomorrow morning, at which point they’ll load in and set the stage for a day of rehearsal. Beginning Friday, the band plays three shows. All are sold out. Back in The Amp’s industrial kitchen, Mindy Fitting, head chef at St. Augustine catering company The Perch, has already started prepping four days of meals for Widespread’s touring party, a group of 50 that includes the band, their crew, management teams and extended family. They’ll get breakfast, lunch and dinner on rehearsal day and lunch and dinner on show days. For the first performance night, Fitting’s preparing a carving station of beef tenderloin cooked in a red wine reduction. The multi-day menu includes fish, chicken, mashed potatoes and lots of mixed vegetables. On Sunday afternoon, The Amp will treat the band to a shrimp fry. “These are well known people, and they have their stage persona or a character of themselves that’s like a public domain,” Fitting says of what she enjoys about cooking for touring artists. “It’s really lovely to see the private person underneath that.” Fitting shops for produce at The Amp’s Saturday farmers’ market, and sources meat from local purveyors when possible. Though some bands have dietary restrictions, or the occasional hyper-specific request, she says she’s found musicians to be gracious and omnivorous eaters. “They've been on the road for a while, they've been touring for a bit, they begin to think about the things that their mom used to make or something that always showed up on the table for family dinner.” To be clear, The Amp’s hospitality program involves much more than filling bellies and fulfilling technical riders. The venue provides visiting artists a distinctive blend of amenities and local flavor, all designed to leave an indelible impression. There’s The Hyppo popsicles in the freezer and Kookaburra coffee on drip (often a barista from the local roaster will be on-site pulling shots and crafting lattes). Each artist leaves with a curated box of goodies, including Sunshine State-inspired postcards by local artist M.C. Pressure, a bag of Kookaburra coffee and a jar of Bee Hill Farm’s honey, bottles of Hank Sauce and A Frame hot sauces and Amp-branded swag (t-shirt, hat, tote, frisbee, reusable water bottle, playing cards, notepads). Local beach rental company DRIFTERS provides bikes for bands and their crew to cruise the venue property and the adjacent grounds of Anastasia State Park. In addition to opportunities for taking in the native flora, the venue ensures artists can engage with St. Augustine’s unique fauna – the nearby Alligator Farm arranges a kind of pop-up backstage petting zoo. “Sometimes bands show up and they’re like, ‘We heard we can pet an alligator here,” Westfield says. “It’s a surprisingly small industry. People talk.” That such big-name acts route their tours through this part of Northeast Florida, often bypassing the major music markets of Tampa and Orlando, or the similar-sized Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, is a testament to The Amp’s reputation among artists and their booking agents. But for proof that the venue’s hospitality has endeared them to the artists who visit, one need not look further than the acts who’ve made a point to come back annually. Indie-folk band The Head and the Heart plays just about every year, as does the nonagenarian country-music icon Willie Nelson, who brings along his family band. North Florida blues-folk standout J.J. Grey chose The Amp for the site of his annual festival, the Blackwater Sol Revue. And despite recently playing for a crowd of 21,000 in Denver, the wildly popular bluegrass guitar hero Billy Strings keeps coming back to the roughly-5,000 capacity Amp. In April he’ll play three sold-out Amp shows in a row for the third year in a row. “Over the years, you start to establish these relationships, and it becomes like seeing an old friend,” Westfield says of the performers who have added to The Amp’s growing number of annual visitors. “We know they’re on the road, maybe tired and missing their home, so we try to make it feel like a home away from home.” The venue’s transition from a county-run entity to a nonprofit in late 2023 has allowed for added flexibility and expediency in their commitment to accommodating artists, Masters and Westfield explained. The move cleared the runway for renovations to the venue’s four dressing rooms, which were recently updated with new flooring and furniture, along with tasteful touches like houseplants, floral throw-pillows and lampshades and vibrant, coastal-inspired local art. “We wanted it to feel like Florida but not like cheesy Florida,” Masters says. “It’s really curated and comfortable.” Widespread Panic won’t hit the stage until 8 p.m. on Friday. Hours before that, hundreds of spreadheads – fans of the band – will fill The Amp’s parking lot to commence the ritualized preshow tailgate, known among the aforementioned spreadheads as the panic party. Hours later, they’ll file into the amphitheatre. The band’s famed visual production will illuminate Anastasia Island’s mighty, Spanish-moss-draped oaks. There’ll be dancing and singing; some chemically-enhanced revelry, to be sure. Three nights in a row. Yet few among the spreadheads will understand the extent of the band’s behind-the-scenes production. Beyond Widespread’s 50-person team, there’s Westfield and Masters and their crew of runners and on- and off-site personnel; there’s The Perch and innumerable local businesses, all contributing something unique to The Amp’s renowned hospitality program. For Fitting, this will be the chef ’s fourth time cooking for Widespread. The run will add three more Amp shows to her total show count; in February she cooked for her 500th Amp performance. “To know that the band ate well, and that you helped them have a successful show – even if the audience doesn’t know you contributed,” she says, “it really fills you with satisfaction.”

Chef Tom Gray grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Professional experience in New York, Los Angeles, and Napa Valley informed his full-circle approach to his craft, prioritizing sustainability, recycling, and eco-friendly practices. With two James Beard: Best Chef South nominations and countless other awards to his name, Gray continues to innovate in the kitchen as the Chef/Owner of Prati Italia and Town Hall restaurants in Jacksonville. Gray is also the co-owner of CuliVinoTM, a restaurant management and consulting firm he founded with his wife and business partner, Sarah Marie Johnston and business partner Chef Albert Fuentes.

A Brunch and Bottlenose cruise with Florida Water Tours includes personalized charcuterie boxes, locally made donuts and dolphin sightings. Photos by Tanner Boyles. Planning an outing is often focused on the main event or activity, but as any intrepid explorer knows, sustenance is an important aspect of a successful adventure. From outdoor outings and sports games to art and arcades, North Florida offers a wide range of venues and activities with elevated food and beverage programs. Florida Water Tours Experience St. Augustine on the water with a Brunch and Bottlenose tour by Florida Water Tours. After nine years of running boat charters, owner Jessica Jadick now offers eco-adventures that combine a scenic boat tour with tasty brunch bites and refreshing beverages. “We source a variety of local treats for brunch, including donuts from Peace, Love and Little Donuts, and beautiful flowers and microgreens from GYO Greens,” says Jadick. The company shops at local markets to keep produce fresh and seasonal. Boating is thirsty work, and Jadick says, “Everyone loves our mimosas!” Choose from classic, cranberry or a rotating juice like peach, mango, strawberry or pineapple as you keep your eyes on the water to observe playful dolphins and learn about local wildlife. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp The seventh inning stretch says it best when describing the connection between baseball and food: “buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack, I don’t care if I ever get back!” While those snacks are beloved baseball fare, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp have upped the culinary ante of a true Jacksonville institution. The menu features local Mayport shrimp and what Scott Kornberg, the director of broadcasting and media relations, calls “a food odyssey.” In the 2025 season, fans can anticipate delicious menu offerings at the Right Field Hall and PNC Home Plate Club, with old favorites like Azar Sausage and a brand-new Pit Smokehouse. “How many teams have shrimp items at the concession stands or a smoker in their ballpark?” says Kornberg. The Cummer Museum and Cafe While the Cummer Museum is known for its stunning art exhibits and landscaped gardens, nestled inside is a delightful culinary option, The Cummer Café, owned and operated by The Chef's Garden Catering & Events. “There's never a shortage of inspiration at The Cummer,” says Jennifer Earnest, co-owner of The Chef ’s Garden. Enjoy menu favorites and unique weekly specials inspired by exhibits like Knowing the West, running until August 31. Both indoor and outdoor dining are available, but Earnest invites guests to enjoy a meal in the serene gardens by the St. Johns River. She fondly recalls her own family tradition of ordering takeout from The Café and relishing their meal surrounded by blooming flowers and vibrant greenery, hoping to catch sight of a pod of dolphins. Beach Bowl's renovation includes an upgrade to the menu and the activities for all ages. Beach Bowl A Jacksonville staple since 1959, Beach Bowl recently received a makeover. No need to split your attention here; experience 24 lanes of fun while sampling a new spin on bowling alley food. The choices include a good mix of bar bites, sandwiches, pizzas and salads. Even the bar received an upgrade, with local beer options and craft cocktails like The Dudeness, a riff on The Dude’s iconic white Russian in The Big Lebowski. Duck Pinz Duck Pinz in Fernandina Beach offers compact bowling with a retro vibe and a full bar. “We take inspiration from classic arcade flavors, creative twists on traditional bar bites and the lively, retro vibe of duckpin bowling,” says general manager Kaitlyn Greenly. Popular drinks like the Pin Killer and Pinz Punch pair perfectly with their delicious snackable options. “Our food and drinks fuel the fun,” says Greenly. “The pairing of menu and bowling is designed specifically for enhancing the bowling experience. Every bite and every sip is crafted to keep the energy high and the good times rolling.” Bonus round to keep the good vibes going: book time with DuckPinz and then head to sister spot Gregor MacGregor’s Mini Golf right down the street for fun in the sun and a variety of frozen beverages.

A dollop of whipped cream is the perfect adornment on this free-form pie. Photo by Amy Robb. Serves 6-8 Ingredients 4 cups blackberries 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1 recipe for single-crust pie dough 1 egg yolk 1 tablespoon water 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar for garnish Instructions Preheat oven to 400º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine blackberries, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon and cornstarch. Stir until combined; then set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out pie dough into a large circle about 1/4" thick. Transfer the pie dough to the baking sheet. Spoon the blackberry mixture onto the center of the dough. Gently fold the dough up and around the blackberries, leaving some of the fruit in the center exposed. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Brush on the pie crust; then sprinkle generously with the sanding sugar. Bake the crostata for about 40 to 50 minutes or until the fruit is bubbly and the crust is golden. Allow the crostata to cool completely before cutting and serving.

Make jam ahead of time and have it at the ready when you want to make this sandwich. Photography by Mitch Wiisanen. Serves 2 Ingredients For the blackberry chia jam 2 cups fresh blackberries 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey 2 tablespoons chia seeds 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (use 2 tablespoons if more tartness is desired) 1/4 tablespoon cinnamon (optional) For the grilled cheese sandwich 3 tablespoons butter or mayonnaise 2 tablespoons blackberry chia jam 4 slices Colby cheese 4 slices bread Instructions To make jam : Add fresh blackberries and maple syrup or honey to medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally to combine and prevent sticking. As blackberries cook, use a spoon and muddle to gently break down cooked berries. Mash up berries less for a chunkier jam. Once blackberries are broken down and rapidly bubbling, reduce heat to low and stir in chia seeds, lemon juice and cinnamon (if using). Cook jam for an additional 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Jam should thicken and become glossy as chia seeds absorb remaining liquid. Remove saucepan from heat and allow jam to cool to room temperature. Adjust sweetness as needed with additional maple syrup or honey. Transfer to container and store in refrigerator up to 1 week. To make grilled cheese sandwich: Heat pan over medium-low heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter to coat pan evenly. Generously spread one side of each bread slice with butter. Place one slice, buttered-side-down into pan to toast. Spoon 2 tablespoons blackberry chia jam onto unbuttered side of bread in pan. Add 2 cheese slices on top of jam, then top with the second bread slice, buttered side facing out. Once cheese is halfway melted, flip sandwich onto other side, pressing down lightly to encourage melting. When desired toastiness and cheese melt is achieved, slide off of pan and cool slightly before eating. Repeat to make the other sandwich.