The Backyard Picklery with Patrick & Francesca

Can you give us a little bit of the story behind The Backyard Picklery

The Backyard Picklery started a little over 2 months ago, but the idea of it started late last year.  After getting engaged we (Patrick & Francesca) wanted something we could do together to support our future family and which would be our creation and made through our own hard work.

Patrick has always been interested in food and you can definitely see where he gets his passion: his father building his own food industry business has been a great role model and a wonderful support to him.  Where Patrick is the major "brain" behind all our creations, I am more the quality assurance girl, second opinion person, and let's not forget work minion!

But we both love food and experimenting and we get to do all the things we love together and give people food they can enjoy!

Why pickling

(Patrick) Firstly, I love pickles & jams!  Everything about them is amazing: from the way they taste to the way you make them.

The fact that you can make something in Summer and be able to enjoy it in Winter is just great.  So I think we chose to do pickles because it's just something we both enjoy making AND it's something that lasts beyond a season.

Pickling traditionally were derived from the need to not "waste" anything.  What has been one of the more unusual experiments that you have done which despite/inspite of the odds works and is a seller for you

As we are only starting out we really haven't done much experimenting (yet). Everything we have tried so far has worked out.  Our chilli onion marmalade would have to be our most unusual product (so far) and it's our best seller!

Firstly because it's unusual and secondly because it tastes amazing.  It's absolutely packed with flavour and goes great in anything from salads to steak sandwiches.

So despite (or inspite perhaps) people saying it is different and "out there", it's loved and we have to make more every couple of weeks to keep the stock available.

What is it about market life that keeps it real for you

Selling at market is way more personal than selling to a name or a number over the internet.

You put faces to names, you watch customers return and tell you how they used the product they bought and how much they enjoyed them.

Market life isn't just about setting up early in the morning, selling your product and then packing up again.

You are part of a community, building relationships with everyone around you.  And we can honestly say if wasn't for the markets, we wouldn't have gotten to know the people we have in our lives now, or be open to the opportunities we have been able to be part of.

The markets are an eye opener to culture, peoples lives and others ideas!  We learned so much and been given so many ideas from simply having conversations with people about food!

No week is ever the same.  THAT and the relationships you build....that is what keeps it real!

How would you sum up the world of The Backyard Picklery in 5 words

Relationships
Exciting
New Ideas
Creative
Passion

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So now you've read it, we reckon it's time to get in and taste these wonders!  But where to find?  SIMPLES!  Just go in to the hall and there you are....they have insane samples, sensational packaging and if you know what's good for you, you'll not just sample you will buy up BIIIIG!

Huge shoutout and thanks to the crew from The Backyard Picklery for not only sharing some of their time with us, but for being soldiers and purveyors of all things jams, salts and pickles!

The Shoutout returns!

The Nutritionista

Jackie

borneo_vee

Sophie

Anita

Kirstie

T Totaler

WT

Birgitta the Queen of Baking!

When did you have your debut at Marrickville Markets, and how did that come about?

I think I have been here for about 6 years.  I actually started market life at Frenchs Forest Markets but wanted a market which closer for me I decided to give it a go.

I love Marrickville Markets because of its uniqueness and the customers are absolutely wonderful.  

Why the markets? I had returned from the USA after life as a professional chef and decided to try something totally different & it's just grown from there....and the journey continues!

You have an extraordinarily large (and ever increasing we must add!) fan base.  What is it about market life that keeps you baking?

Market life is an interesting business and not easy by any means.  It goes without saying, it's my customers who drive me.  They feel like an extended family and they also provide me with major input to my product range with suggestions and requests, which then provides me with the opportunity to go away, explore and create.

For me the big picture is this: there is nothing better than sharing food with others.

From a tiny little kitchen comes some of the world's amazing creations.  You have your core stock of goodies and have now ventured in to the world of gluten free (which we can personally attest to their deliciousness).  

From start to finish, how long does it take you to make these babies until they are ready for market?

I am continually searching for new ideas or variations of current ones.  Trends tend to dictate a little in what I make and that is as a result of requests from my customers.

Gluten free is a major example of this.  As allergies increase so then does the need to a) gain knowledge and b) find alternatives so as to accommodate and have it translated in my food. This cycle is never ending.

I can make variations of an idea and then make adjustments to what tastes good to me personally, which is a bit a "trial and error" process.

My customers are the final deciders because I will always let them know if it's a new product and then ask for their feedback, including any suggestions they feel might improve the product.

This process can take weeks sometimes or if I have struck the jackpot it will be an instant hit!

The best satisfaction for any stallie is when that golden 'sold out' sign goes up.  What has been your biggest sale of any product in one day?

Hmmmm. Well I guess the answer is a bit seasonal because at Christmas if I ever see another mince tart by Christmas Eve, there are times I would have to scream from the rooftops!

(insert screaming!)

But in winter it is always the Dulce de Leche Brownie

What does the future hold for the Queen of Baking?

At the moment I am starting my little big cake range, which is basically taking a cake like Raspberry Coconut (which is my best seller) and miniaturising it which you could take to afternoon tea's or as a gift.

They look sooooooo cute!

Beyond that?  Well it's about time I hit the web and joined the rest of the universe and expand access to those who can get themselves to the markets to find me!

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Fortunately for us, we CAN get to her at the Markets and so can you!  Every Sunday peeps, so if you haven't you must, cause once tried you will be forever enslaved!!

And cause we can, we would like to thank Ciao Mag for allowing us to include this great little article they did on our Queen of Baking recently.

Ciao Mag