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The first scene that comes to mind when you think of fresh homemade jam is a spoonful on your biscuits or toast for a delicious breakfast treat.

It may be true that fresh homemade jam is a joy on our breakfast table, but with a little finesse, homemade jam can be paired with savoury foods on dinner and luncheon menus too. Pairing fruits and meats is a hot trend in culinary circles, but there's nothing new about it. What is new is the quick and easy way to prepare your homemade jams.

"Making fresh jam can be really fast these days," says Greg Petie, spokesman for Jam Express, a pre-measured, jam-making product that delivers expert results in a fraction of the time. "All year round, great tasting jams can now be made in the microwave oven in about 10 minutes. Use your favourite whole cut fruit, or fresh frozen fruit with the mix, and no sugar is added."

For exceptional results - especially if you want to pair the jam with savoury foods - use berries of all kinds, as well as plums, apricots, peaches, or apples.

"Or make it simpler still," Petrie suggests, "and use fresh-frozen fruit and berries readily available all winter. You'll get the goodness year round - and by making jams yourself, you no longer have to second-guess the freshness of a store bought brand."

Exotic plans for your jam
At breakfast, it rarely fails when you add a big, fruity spoonful to pancakes, French toast, waffles and crepes, or to yoghurt, hot cereal, and omelettes. Surprise yourself, your family and your guests with these exotic plans for your jam:

• Apple Jam with pork, ham, aged Cheddar, Gouda, Colby cheese

• Strawberry Jam with veal, poultry, Brie, goat cheese, oil & vinegar salad dressing

• Plum Jam with pork, lamb, beef, pork liver paté

• Pear Jam with pork, lamb, poultry, venison, rabbit

• Raspberry Jam with pork or chicken liver patés, Edam, Roquefort cheese

• Blackberry Jam with ham, poultry, Stilton cheese

• Red or Black Current Jam with Venison, pheasant, duck, Asiago cheese

• Apricot Jam with spicy and curried meats, patés, poultry, mozzarella cheese

• Cherry Jam with anything chocolate

Once you start experimenting with pairing fresh jellies with your meals, you'll discover many other tasty combinations that use your imagination, creativity and your fresh fruit jams.