Hot Damn! Jelly Co., Auburn

The Maker:  Jessi Norwood

Jessi Norwood’s small-batch jelly, jam and pickle business, Hot Damn! Jelly Co., began as a craving.

A single taste of homemade pepper jelly at a friend’s engagement party in 2010 set Norwood off on a pepper-jelly quest — what she had sampled was incredible, and she wanted more. She bought dozens of jars of the Southern condiment at farmers’ markets, at grocery stores, from online retailers and even at airport gift shops, but nothing could compare to that sweet-spicy perfection made by her friend’s mom.

Finally, Norwood decided she just needed to make the jelly herself. She had very little experience with putting things up. “Canning was not something I grew up doing,” she said. “I talked to a lot of older ladies.” And she experimented.

Over the next several months she practiced her “pepper jelly craft” in her spare time. And when she finally got it right, she knew immediately. That perfect batch was cooked fast and fresh. A really good pepper jelly, Norwood said, has “peppers completely spindled throughout the jar, so every bite has a little fresh-picked pepper crunch.”

Soon family and friends were clamoring for Norwood’s pepper jellies, so she printed some labels using Microsoft Word and starting selling her jellies at farmers’ markets. Now, three years later, she has fans around the state.

Hot Damn! Jelly Co. crafts products so tasty they’d make grandma cuss from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

Norwood said coming up with the name for her business was the hardest part, even harder than perfecting some of the recipes. While her products are spicy, the name is not about the heat. “Hot Damn is something even your grandparents would say if something was really good,” she said.

Most of the produce that goes into Hot Damn! jars is grown on family farms, and what’s not grown there is purchased from local farmers. So some selections vary by seasons, and these seasonal offerings are limited. Norwood said she is committed to using fresh, locally grown ingredients. Her Big Blue pepper jelly is made with blueberries picked at Wolf Creek Vineyards right down the road in Notasulga. Her peaches come from Chilton County growers.

Some of Norwood’s most popular products include a smoky jalapeno pepper jelly, her signature mango-peach-habanero jelly and the hotter One Second ‘Til Tears. (The name is a playful nod to the dramatic 2013 Iron Bowl.) This sweet, citrusy, deliciously spicy jelly is made with Scotch bonnet, habanero and jalapeno peppers; local honey; key limes; and vinegar. Whether you Roll with the Tide or roll oak trees on a certain corner, it’s easy to agree that it’s tasty.

Along with its jellies, Hot Damn! makes a variety of pickled foods. (Brittany Faush-Johnson/Alabama NewsCenter)

She also makes spicy pickled green tomatoes, smoky-spicy pickled okra, spicy garlic-dill pickles, smoked tomato jam and candied jalapeno rings. And Norwood is testing a line of mixers made from pepper jelly. These mixers are in some of the craft cocktails served at John Emerald Distilling Company’s tasting room in nearby Opelika.

All the Hot Damn! jellies, jams and pickled things are made in small batches and are packed by hand. And each label of every Hot Damn! product lists love as an ingredient.

“That’s because I definitely put a lot of love into each product,” Norwood said. “When you cook for somebody, that’s one of the sweetest ways you can show your love. It’s like putting a little love in every jar.”

The Products: A variety of pepper jellies; pickled tomatoes, green beans, asparagus and okra; sweet and savory jams; and sweet and dill pickles.

Take Home: Hot Damn! jellies (8-ounce jars, $8) and pickles (pint jars, $8) are available at farmers’ markets throughout the state, including the Makers Village at the Market at Pepper Place; Urban Cookhouse locations in Mountain Brook and Montgomery; various gourmet markets; and on Etsy.

Hot Damn! Jelly Co.

hotdamnjelly@gmail.com

334-728-0941

www.hotdamnjelly.com