Welcome to the Napa Farmhouse
When you think of a farmhouse in the Napa Valley what comes to mind? Maybe a front porch with a view of the vineyards covering the hills. Or maybe you can almost smell the citrus trees, green grass and fresh air. Maybe all you can really think about is a nice glass of Napa Cabernet? Either way, certain words can create an image or emotion that you associate with them. Food should also encourage these emotions. Life can get hectic, but the simple act of slowing down and really tasting and celebrating the food you’ve prepared is important.
Owner Diane Padoven left the corporate world as a senior executive in retail to get back to basics and make eco-friendly, natural products from the bounty of the fruit trees on her Napa, CA property. She uses her sustainably grown produce to create products such as Persimmon Jam, Fig & Grand Marnier Jam and Aglio Olio Peperoncino Seasoning made from fresh dried herbs and spices. All other ingredients are locally sourced. She’s got a lot more products bursting with fresh flavor that are great to have your in your pantry arsenal. Maybe we can’t all live in a Napa Farmhouse, but Diane wants to make sure we can eat like we do! Stock up on all of Napa Farmhouse 1885′s products at 30% OFF All Week (with a $30 min order)!
1. Hey Diane. How did you come up with the name Napa Farmhouse 1885 for your business?
The short answer is that when my husband & I chucked corporate life and moved to Napa a few years ago we bought a small victorian farmhouse that was built in 1885. My entire life changed when we came to Napa and I wanted to tell that story.
2. What were you doing before you started Napa Farmhouse 1885?
I was a senior executive in the retail/apparel business…most recently at Levi’s where i spent 8 years. After ½ a lifetime in the corporate world, I decided I wanted to start my own company…one which would leave me time for family, friends, cooking, gardening, writing, entertaining…and running a company my way.
3. What kind of fruit do you grow and how do you use them in your products?
We grow all the fresh fruit used in our products…we have persimmon, fig, meyer lemon, lime, orange and pomegranate trees. We are not certified organic but follow sustainably grown principles. We aren’t a full fledged farm…just a small farmhouse with fruit trees, herbs, flowers and vegetables. In Napa it is kind of like “plant it and it will grow” and I started making the food because I needed to figure out ways to use up the bounty! As the story tends to go, I gave away tons to family and friends…still had more…so…”farmhouse food” was born..
4. What are three adjectives that describe your products?
eco-friendly, organic/sustainably grown, local
5. What are some great uses for your products?
Our food items are delicious on their own…and also work really well as shortcuts to great tasting meals. Some examples are our jam used as a glaze for poultry or fish, or an ingredient in vinaigrettes. The sweet ones are nice spread between cookies or cake, our seasonings and rubs are also used in salads, vegetables and appetizers. The list goes on and on. I use many of our products in recipes which are posted on my blog.
