June Taylor's Still Room

Do you like jam? We like jam. Especially when said jam is made by someone as as nice as June Taylor. Steeped in the culinary lore of canning and preserving, Taylor and her assistant Magali Hernandez crank out dozens of different seasonal spreads each year. As you would imagine she works directly with small family farms and seeks out heirloom and forgotten fruits. Tasting some of her marmalades, we’re reminded of why breakfast at Grandma’s was so delicious. It makes us happy to think that there’s a grow-and-preserve-your-own revival happening these days! If you are so inclined, as we hope you are, one of the best ways to spend a weekend day is with June in her production kitchen at the Still Room in Berkeley, learning how to make marmalade from a pro. And tis the season for handmade baked goods. One of June's specialties is a traditional English Christmas Cake, which takes a whole year to make. Candied citrus peels and hand dried fruits are just the beginning. Each cake is wrapped in cheesecloth and hand washed with an aged chardonnay brandy from St. George Spirits. The festive outer wrapping paper is water colored by June and letterpress printed. See the operation from June's perspective in this video: