The Forum’s focus will be the strengths, and weaknesses, of the city of Berkeley for startups. What does it take to turn an idea into a successful business, how can one nurture innovation, and what can be done to improve the startup climate here?

Featured panelists joining the conversation at the Forum include: Will Wright, creator of The Sims and … Continue reading »]]>

Creator of The Sims Will Wright founded his latest company, Stupid Fun Club, in Berkeley

Berkeleyside is thrilled to announce that on Monday March 5th we will be hosting the Berkeleyside Local Business Forum 2012: Startup Berkeley.

The Forum’s focus will be the strengths, and weaknesses, of the city of Berkeley for startups. What does it take to turn an idea into a successful business, how can one nurture innovation, and what can be done to improve the startup climate here?

Featured panelists joining the conversation at the Forum include: Will Wright, creator of The Sims and founder of Stupid Fun Club; David Hyman, founder and CEO of streaming music service MOG, June Taylor, founder of jam and marmalade company The Still Room; and Rauly Butler, Senior Vice President Retail at Mechanics Bank.

“An extraordinary amount of innovation comes out of Berkeley in a variety of realms,” said Lance Knobel, one of the founders of Berkeleyside. “But Berkeley is still seen as rough ground for business startups. We want to examine the realities of Berkeley for new business ventures.”(...)

Read the rest of Announcing: Berkeleyside Local Business Forum 2012 “Startup Berkeley”, Monday March 5th, 7-9 pm (237 words)

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Post tags: Berkeleyside, Berkeleyside Local Business Forum 2012: Startup Berkeley, David Hyman, GreenerPrinter, June Taylor, Mechanics Bank, MOG, Stupid Fun Club, The Sims, The Still-Room, Will Wright

She will also share the recipe for candied Meyer lemon peel and give away some of her organic candied citrus peel.

The British-born Taylor runs her business from The Still-Room, a kitchen and storefront space on Fourth Street in West Berkeley. She has practiced preserving for more than 20 years and is as interested in the history … Continue reading »]]>

June Taylor, Berkeley preserve maker. Photo: Sarah Henry.

Berkeley’s very own June Taylor shows the world how to make sweet-and-tart Meyer lemon candy on Martha Stewart’s Citrus Show today.

She will also share the recipe for candied Meyer lemon peel and give away some of her organic candied citrus peel.

The British-born Taylor runs her business from The Still-Room, a kitchen and storefront space on Fourth Street in West Berkeley. She has practiced preserving for more than 20 years and is as interested in the history of food preservation as its practice, immersing herself in scholarly works on the subject. Taylor was one of the first of a growing coterie of jam makers to make their mark locally. Dafna Kory emerged more recently with her start-up INNA Jam. Others include Rachel Saunders at Blue Chair Fruit, and Happy Girl Kitchen.

For more on June Taylor, read Sarah Henry’s profile published on Berkeleyside last month.

By Tracey Taylor. | Permalink | 7 comments |
Post tags: June Taylor, Martha Stewart, The Still-Room

At first, the self-taught preserver thought her D.I.Y. hobby would just make nice gifts for friends and family. The she moved from San Francisco to South Berkeley, saw the abundance of plums, apples, and … Continue reading »]]>

Dafna Kory at Berkeley's Local 123 Café. Photo: Sarah Henry.

Dafna Kory discovered the delights of jalapeňo jam during pre-dinner nibbles at a Thanksgiving gathering. She went out to buy a jar, couldn’t find the mighty spicy condiment anywhere, so she began experimenting with making her own. It became an instant hit among her posse.

At first, the self-taught preserver thought her D.I.Y. hobby would just make nice gifts for friends and family. The she moved from San Francisco to South Berkeley, saw the abundance of plums, apples, and lemons growing in her new backyard, and a jamming business was born.

Kory foraged fruit in a hyper-local fashion. She made batches of jam in her home kitchen. She personally delivered by bike. Demand for her jams grew by word-of-mouth.

Meyer lemon preserves. Photo: Courtesy INNA jam.

Friends who had friends who owned stores began encouraging her to branch out beyond her inner circle. So she started shopping INNA jam (the name is, indeed, a playful pun) to places like Local 123, Summer Kitchen, Rick and Ann’s Restaurant and The Gardener.

About a year ago, with orders coming in a steady stream, it became clear that Kory, now 28, needed to either gear up and focus on turning her after-hours pastime into a fully fledged business or scale back and remain a hobbyist. She decided to take the plunge.

A freelance commercial video editor, Kory hasn’t looked back. She began working in a commercial kitchen in North Berkeley, selling her pickles and preserves at events like ForageSF’s Underground Market and the Eat Real Festival, and offering workshops for other D.I.Y.ers.

The UC Berkeley graduate now spends nine months of the year working full-time on her budding food business, and supplements her income in the winter months with editing gigs.

In a year, she hopes to devote 100% of her work day to INNA jam. Kory also pickles though that product line is on hiatus while she ratchets up production to meet demand for her increasingly popular jams. She delivers locally by bike, ships interstate, and offers an annual, seasonal subscription (a 10-ounce jar retails for $12).(...)

Read the rest of Jam maker turns hobby into thriving local business (870 words)

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Post tags: Acme Bread, Berkeley Bowl, Berkeley Farmers Market, dafna kory, INNA jam, June Taylor, jupiter, Local 123 Cafe, rick and anne's restaurant, Summer Kitchen, taqueria la familia, the gardener

Today, we are delighted to welcome Romney Steele into the Berkeleyside fold. Romney will be writing a regular report for us all on what’s fresh, in season, and available at our local farmers’ markets and grocers — she will also throw in some suggestions on what we might want to do with it.

Early March teases with the heralds of spring — artichokes, mâche, and rhubarb, some of my favorites — and yet remains a notoriously in-between … Continue reading »]]>

Today, we are delighted to welcome Romney Steele into the Berkeleyside fold. Romney will be writing a regular report for us all on what’s fresh, in season, and available at our local farmers’ markets and grocers — she will also throw in some suggestions on what we might want to do with it.

Early March teases with the heralds of spring — artichokes, mâche, and rhubarb, some of my favorites — and yet remains a notoriously in-between month, keeping us chomping at the bit for the vibrant colors and tastes of what’s to come.

Just last week, lovely Murcott tangerines and other late blooming citrus were at the forefront of the stalls, keeping me ensconced in a winter mood with marmalade making on my to-do list (June Taylor is offering classes through April).

This week, along with piles of gorgeous greens, and the mise en place of any good cook — onions, potatoes, leeks, carrots and celery — California artichokes were the produce du jour, arriving just in time for their place in the holiday line-up. Think green for St. Patty’s day, accompanying lamb at Easter, or as part of an equinox feast.

What to look for: When buying artichokes, look for dark green, heavy globes that have tight (not open) leaves — the bigger the globe, the larger the interior heart. Excellent for steaming or blanching, served with a dipping sauce, or deep-fried whole “alla giudia,” as celebrated by the Romans.

Baby artichokes take minimal preparation; after peeling the outermost leaves, you can eat the whole thing. Try shaved raw as a salad, sautéed, or braised in olive oil.

Romney Steele is a freelance writer, cook, and artist and the author of My Nepenthe. She grew up at her family’s home in beautiful Big Sur, which also doubled as a restaurant and community gathering place. Her favorite foods include good toast and orange marmalade, and anything from the farmers market or plucked off a tree. She lives in the East Bay with two children and a curious cat. Watch this video, produced by John Ray at Kepler’s bookstore, as an introduction to Romney.

Berkeley Farmers Markets take place on Tuesdays, 2-6pm, at Derby Street @ MLK Jr. Way; Thursdays, 2-6pm, at Shattuck @ Rose Street; and on Saturdays, 10am-3pm, at Center Street @ MLK Jr. Way.

Photo: Romney Steele.

By guest. | Permalink | 2 comments |
Post tags: Berkeley Farmers Market, June Taylor, My Nepenthe, Romney Steele