Apple Cranberry Chutney

Apple Cranberry Chutney by Stonewall Kitchen, fruity and tart

Apple Cranberry Chutney by Stonewall Kitchen is a chunky chutney made of apples, onions, and cranberries, seasoned with ginger, mustard seeds, and curry. The cranberry balances the sweetness of the apple with its tartness, while dried apricots and raisins round out the flavor profile.

Apple Cranberry Chutney is a fruity, tart chutney from Stonewall Kitchen in York, Maine, crafted for cheese, cold roasts, and poultry. Apples are the primary ingredient, and cranberries make up nearly a fifth of the blend. Balsamic vinegar adds a sharp edge.

Sweet fruit, tart berry, warm spices

Deep red and distinctly chunky, it sits in the jar with whole pieces of fruit and carries the scent of ginger and curry.

The apple provides fully ripened sweetness, the cranberry provides a tart acidic counterpoint, and raisins and dried apricots nestle in between. Ginger and mustard seeds lend warmth, curry provides depth, and a hint of smoked chili powder leaves a subtle smoky trail. Balsamic and apple cider vinegar draw the line where the sweetness ends. Stonewall Kitchen includes whole mustard seeds in the jar, which provide an occasional textural pop.

There is nothing smooth about this texture; the fruit remains fruit, and the spoon always finds a whole chunk.

From the cheese board to the sandwich

While it is a classic pairing for bold cheeses, cold dishes have even more in store for it.

Spicy alpine cheese and aged cheddar, cold roasts, or boiled ham provide the perfect base; it also works well on crackers with a dollop of cream cheese. A spoonful stirred into gravy adds a fruity note, and mixed with cream cheese, it creates a spread for baguette.

It is equally excellent with fried poultry, burgers, or Christmas goose. A spoonful next to a terrine completes the plate. It also brings the necessary sweetness to balance the richness of game pâté or fried black pudding slices.

The berry that floats at harvest time

The cranberry is a North American bog berry that grows on sandy peatlands in New England and Canada.

For the harvest, the fields are flooded; because the berries contain small air pockets, they rise to the surface and can be skimmed off. Raw, they are so tart that they are almost always cooked with sugar, and this very tartness is what a chutney needs as a counterbalance. They have long been a staple on tables there, where they are served with poultry and roasts.

At Stonewall Kitchen, the berry is paired with apples from the same corner of the world. For a company in Maine, both are practically on the doorstep, and you can taste that these are two neighbors coming together in one jar.

Fruity spice shines at room temperature

At room temperature, the fruit and berry reveal their full spice profile; when cold from the refrigerator, much of that remains hidden. An evening cheese board, a glass of bold red wine, and a spoonful on a spicy cheese: sweet, tart, and warm in the finish. Once opened, it stays fresh for several weeks in the refrigerator. If you are expecting guests, take it out half an hour early so it can warm up.

For something milder and more tropical, try the Major Grey's Chutney. Both can be found under chutney and onion jam, with the rest of our selection in the Stonewall Kitchen collection.