The Playful Preservationist from Beth Schrauben is on a mission to offer organic, artisanal jams and preserves to satisfy your unique cravings, support regional farmers and makers, and to spread the love of whole food preservation.
We are excited to welcome The Playful Preservationist back to the Chicago Artisan Market on Sunday, May 17, 2020 at Morgan MFG (401 N. Morgan St., Chicago). Discover 100+ top Chicago & Midwest artisans in food, fashion, home goods + art.
Using organic and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible and encouraging a low-waste food production model, The Playful Preservationist uses all – or almost all – of the parts of each piece of fruit. Whether it’s in other jams, on the compost pile for their home-grown herbs and spices, or creating a delicious hint of flavor in home cooking, nothing that can be safely used goes to waste.
Some of The Playful Preservationist flavors include:
• The Imp – Raspberry, lime, spiced rum, and cinnamon; spicy and boozy with a bright lift of lime and rich berry flavors.
• Blue Myself – Blueberries, lemon, lavender, and honey; floral, fruity, well-balanced, herbaceous and bright.
• Leonato’s Estate – Strawberries, Meyer lemon, and basil; aromatic and crisp, with notes of pepper and lemon, finished with the sweetness of fresh picked strawberries.
• Good Morning, Baltimore – Strawberries, hard apple cider, and thyme. Lightly herbaceous with hints of lemon.
• Life Finds a Way – Blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, and chai spices; this spice blend highlights the flavor of every berry for a fun and exotic treat
• Thirteen Hours – Peaches, sparkling wine, and vanilla; this Bellini-inspired jam is smooth and sweet with caramel and warm floral notes.
• Princess Peach – Peaches and sriracha; our full on three-alarm jam that’s tangy, hot, and perfect for meats, cheese plates, and stir-fry starters.
• Crystal Tokyo – Plum and anise; and unexpected sweet and sour combination – anise gives a sharpness to the sweet body of sugar plums.
• Longbourne – Pear, lavender, lemon, and honey; floral and deeply sweet, lifted by fresh lemon and balanced with local organic honey.
• Business Time – Kiwi fruit, limes, and salt; this jam swing from sweet to savory with each bite, at once tropical and fresh then tart and earthy – worth a second taste!
• Ohana – Pineapples and apricots; a sweet and tart jam balanced by mellow sweetness and an exotic flavor profile.
• Mt. Wanahakalugi – Mango, spiced rum, lime, and cinnamon; a rich and warm tropical jam with caramel-sweet and top notes, finishing with a buttery and elegant mango taste.
Beth is always striving to find the most interesting and delicious flavor combinations using Michigan-made and Midwest-grown products, and she always welcomes suggestions for new producers and flavors.
Because keeping packaging out of landfills is a key part of their vision, they are committed to reusable packaging. The preservation jars can be upcycled, recycled, or returned to The Playful Preservationist for $1 off your next jam.
The Jam Band leader, Beth Schrauben:
Beth started canning out of a desire to preserve her home garden. Always an adventurous home cook, becoming a stay at home parent in 2016 opened some time to explore a creative outlet in small batch preservation. In creating jams and preserves, Beth found an opportunity to explore flavor and ingredients in a whole new way. Once the pantry was stocked in her tiny house (630 square feet!) it came time to decide where and how to expand, and The Playful Preservationist was born.
Her first show was in Michigan in 2018, and she had no expectation to move into a full time business … but her entire 300 jar inventory was sold out in just two days. Beth had so many requests, show opportunities, and special orders that moving to working full time was the only way to keep up with the demand. TPP is still a one-woman show, and she has travelled all over the state of Michigan and the Midwest, offering a seasonal menu and helping people discover new flavors and opportunities for their cooking.
The Playful Preservationist
Grand Rapids, MI
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More fun things to do in Chicago:
• Oak Brook Artisan Market – 2-Day Outdoor Market at Oakbrook Center
• StyleChicago.com’s 7th annual Cruise in Style aboard the Odyssey