Bond’s London breakfast in From Russia, with Love is a small masterclass in particularity, and one of its jars is Tiptree Little Scarlet strawberry jam. Fleming names the conserve exactly, down to the tiny berry it is made from. Tiptree Little Scarlet is still made by Wilkin & Sons, and still reads as a proper breakfast jam.
In the books
In chapter 11 of the novel, Bond’s breakfast tray carries squat glass jars, among them Tiptree’s Little Scarlet. Fleming’s attention to brand and variety is part of what makes the scene work. For more of the world around the novels, see the films and the Bonds who followed.
Owning it now
Little Scarlet is a type of wild strawberry, a Fragaria virginiana, and the fruit is tiny; retailers say berries are usually no larger than a penny. Wilkin & Sons are believed to be the only commercial growers of it anywhere. The jar is made with 60g of fruit per 100g, and the ingredient list is short: sugar, the strawberries, citric pectin and citric acid.
We would put it on toast or a warm scone and nothing else. It suits a slow breakfast, which is rather the point of the scene. More in Food & Drink.
Specifications
| Maker | Wilkin & Sons, Tiptree |
|---|---|
| Size | 340g jar |
| Fruit content | 60g of fruit per 100g |
| Ingredients | Sugar, Little Scarlet strawberries, gelling agent citric pectin, acidity regulator citric acid |
| Suitable for | Vegetarians, vegans and coeliacs |
| RRP | £5.79 for 340g (at the time of writing, October 2026) |
Full details are on Tiptree’s own page.
