Shopping List: Brut de Fruits

Montreal bakery chain Boulangerie Premiere Moisson sells a line of fruit preserves called Brut de Fruits that are made in France by Favols, a producer of fruit specialties. Like the many spreadable fruit condiments widely available in the United States, these are sweetened with concentrated fruit juice rather than sugar. But the Brut de Fruits are so much better. The Peche a la Vanille version has the consistency of a very thick puree of peaches augmented with vanilla, which gives the preserves a distinctly rich and buttery flavor. Additional variations, including a fig Brut de Fruits, are also sold, though I do not know where they can be found south of the border.

Favols also sells a product called Fruits Saveurs, which are partially dehydrated whole fruits (peaches, pears, apricots) that, apparently, still retain a moist texture and have a smooth consistency. Fruit Saveurs are available at crossingsfrenchfood.com.