The 11 honorable mentions in our Made in NC Awards impressed our judges — and us! — with their incredible creativity, craftsmanship, and stories showcasing the best that North Carolina has to offer.
Jelly
Jars of Joy: 15 North Carolina Businesses with a Passion for Preserves
Jams and jellies, chowchows and relishes, pickles and sauerkrauts: These 15 businesses have perfected the art of preserving the garden’s bounty, taking the homegrown tradition to a new level with inventive and classic flavors.
Mason Jar Memories
Whether picking the grapes that went into her family’s jam or dishing out the fruits of her labor, this writer fondly recalls her childhood years canning at home in North Carolina.
The Secret Ingredient
A canning party at this writer’s home is about more than making jams and relish. It’s a time of bustling about the kitchen, bonding over boiling water, and solving the world’s problems to the ping of lids popping into place. It’s about deep friendship.
The Cheerful Giver
Sharing homemade canned goods and fresh vegetables from a backyard garden is a tradition born of hardship. Today, this custom is symbolic of the deep ties that bind our communities.
Spreading the Love
Bread’s best friend isn’t butter (unless you’re talking about the apple kind). That honor belongs to seasonal fruit picked fresh and preserved in all its smashed, jammed, and jellied glory.
