You've got a source for grass-fed beef. You've bookmarked a link for heirloom rice.
But do you know where to find organic conserves made from hand-cut, locally sourced, endangered fruits and varietals? On a stovetop? By the woman who owns the company?
We do.
Meet June Taylor. In a spotless warehouse kitchen in Berkeley, California, Taylor preserves some of the world's disappearing fruits and varietals (along with their more populous relatives), bringing back historic flavors and practices while creating spectacular blends and infusions.
By way of example: Meyer lemon and peppermint syrup. Summer Sweet peach with rose geranium conserve. And Strawberry with Provençal lavender conserve.
The entire process, from the picking to the canning, is done by hand. Even the artful labels are hand-crafted, printed on a letter press by a man who makes his own type.
Taylor works with small local farms to source the fruit, sometimes foraging on her own when she learns of a find. She grows her own herbs—and the Provençal lavender. And she makes use of the entire fruit, candying rinds and separating seeds and membranes to make pectin for marmalades.
We took her extraordinary conserve course last weekend. She shared juicy Diamond Princess peaches, her intuitive culinary process and a historian's passion for this heritage craft.
Go back in time with
June.