Partridgeberries grow wild all over the Newfoundland barrens, tiny red jewels that ripen in late summer and only get sweeter after the first frost. They’re the same berry the Scandinavians call lingonberry, and on the Rock they were picked by the bucketful — partly because they made such wonderful jam, and partly because the partridges loved them so much that where the berries were, dinner wasn’t far behind. A jar of partridgeberry jam was a fixture in every pantry.
What makes it great is that bracing tartness, which the sugar tames just enough to make it sing on toast, scones or a hot touton. And it’s not just for breakfast — Newfoundlanders serve it alongside roast turkey, moose or venison, where its sharp, fruity kick cuts through rich meat exactly the way cranberry sauce does. It’s dead simple to make, sets beautifully on its own, and a jar of it is the gift everyone wants.
