I love success stories and this is one I really enjoy, because it relates to food. Brenda started a business because she needed to take control of her life as she was in a relationship that was going nowhere. Brenda started her home-based business in 1995 and sold her product at farmer’s markets, craft fairs and anywhere else there might be a buyer, including malls.
Those days are now behind her and she has a full time staff of six people including her second husband who has also been responsible for the success of this amazing home based food business. The business name is “Mrs. Palmer’s Pantry” and they carry over 14 tasty products, including antipastos, jams, jellies, glazes, chutneys, nut and pita chips. She has a contract with Overwaitea Foods, Save-On-Foods, Safeway and IGA food stores. In fact, her products are now available in more than 400 retail stores across Western Canada.
Mrs. Palmer’s Pantry also makes gift baskets for personal and corporate customers.
Jimmy Pattison enjoys her products and has included them in personal gift baskets he sends to family and friends, including the President of the United States.
Air Canada became a customer after a lot of persistence on Brenda’s behalf.
She signed a deal to provide the airline with a snack pack that contains a small jar of antipasto and a bag of seasoned pita chips. Mrs. Palmer’s Pantry provides Air Canada with 17,000 snacks a months and now a U.S.-based company, Sky Chef supplies Brenda’s product on some U.S. airlines.
Her delicious baked pita chips are healthier than most you can buy because she uses fine ingredients, carefully hand makes each pita then oven bakes them for a healthy snack and yet they are very flavourful. Currently Brenda has five different pita chips and 14 jarred products that includes two different kinds of antipasto, cranberry habanero, fruit salsa, marinated feta and wild huckleberry jam.
Her products are available locally and I would recommend you try some when you have an opportunity ... I really enjoy these kinds of success stories where a dream combined with dedication and determination pays dividends.
Here’s a quick recipe for a dressing that goes really nice with fish. When you try this you will realize this too is a success recipe.
Aioli
This is a garlic mayonnaise that can be made with a blender or without.
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced really fine
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil...use only good olive oil for this recipe
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• Seasoned sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
In a medium bowl, beat eggs with a whisk.
Stir in garlic and gradually add oil in a thin stream, beating all the time, until light and creamy. Season with salt and pepper then stir in lemon juice.
Refrigerate for about an hour then put on fish after it is cooked. Looks great, tasty, tasty and simple. Keep some on hand, you may not start a successful food business with just this recipe but it will get rave reviews at home.
Bye for now and Gooood Cooking.
Ken Wilson is a freelance columnist with the Tribune/Weekend Advisor.