Suzen and I are quite adamant about making everything ourselves. We buy raw ingredients, of course, but we really love the freshness that comes from our kitchen instead of a bottle, or jar, or package.
On the other hand, there are things that we must buy because there is simply no way we could begin to make them ourselves. Take jam. Johnson Berry Farm in Olympia, Washington has a stall at the Pike Street Market in Seattle that is always jammed, pun intended, with people picking up wooden spoons to get samples of the dozens of wonderful products they produce with great skill.. Four generations, on forty acres, have perfected making jams and other goodies including pepper jams, spreads of every berry you can imagine, and seasonal goodies like boysenberry syrup.
They have tayberry and marionberry jams that are unbelievable wonders. Here on the East Coast, you can’t even find tayberries, let alone enjoy them.
So, for your foodie friends, for stocking servers, for you to enjoy on a warm biscuit, visit them at www.johnsonberryfarm.com. You can order online or by phone [888-993-9300] The products are exceptional and these nice people deserve nationwide support. And, if you are ever in Seattle, look for the lines.