David Davis’s Hillhome Country Products jam is a winner

By Lindsey Pizzica Rotolo

David Davis, owner of Hillhome Country Products, was surprised to receive a call from Yankee Magazine last August informing him that one of his jams was selected from dozens of finalists in their annual food honors. “The call came completely out of the blue,” says Davis.

The regional magazine, based in Dublin, New Hampshire, has been in publication since 1935, but just began awarding prizes for food items three years ago. According to the editor’s note in the November/December issue, as small-scale food production was on the rise in New England, the editors decided it was time to “highlight the delicious cheeses, chocolates, jams, charcuterie and other specialty foods that we saw coming to the market with increasing frequency.”

Employees of the publication attend farmers’ markets and festivals all over New England in the summer months, and also peruse the aisles of shops and supermarkets for “interesting products,” which they bring back to the office to evaluate in preparation for award season.

Yankee Magazine’s prizes are divided into six major categories: cheese, smoked meat and fish, baked goods, jams and preserves, beverages and sauces. The editors decided it was best to not be limited to a single winner in each category, so more products could be featured.

Davis’s “Berries of the Woods” jam, one of his best-selling items, was one of three awards given in the Jams & Preserves category this year. He can’t say for sure where Yankee Magazine’s staff stumbled upon his product, as he attends five different farmers’ markets a week during the summer months and sells his products at six different stores.

Hillhome Country Products was one of just three Connecticut companies honored by Yankee Magazine this year. Colchester’s Cato Corner Farm was one of four winners in the cheese category and Bridgeport-based Tea-rrific!’s Masala Chai Ice Cream was one of seven winners in the sweets category. National Public Radio host Faith Middleton mentioned the three Nutmeg State food award recipients on her “Food Schmooze” radio show on November 12.

Davis’s company began rather innocently six years ago. He started making jars of marmalade for his own use and then began giving them as gifts. The praise from recipients was ample, so Davis took the cue. He had a small table at the Norfolk Farmers Market in 2009, and by 2010 had greatly expanded his line of products and began relationships with local stores. All of Hillhome Products are made to exacting standards, and are produced and marketed by Davis alone.

He rarely misses a Norfolk Farmers Market, but on the off-chance, his pickles, preserves, salad dressings and sauces can be found locally at the Norfolk Artisans Guild, Avon Prime Meats in Canton, the Salisbury General Store and Joie Maison, which just opened in Salisbury. They can also be found at two locations in New York State, at Harney Teas in Millerton and Olde Hudson Market in Hudson.