Self-taught jam maker brings botanically infused fruit preserves to Sacramento
Erin Burrise, founder and owner of Berry & Thyme. Photos: Morgan Potter Photography
When Erin Burrise entered the creative practice of preserves, she had no culinary background. Instead, her love and personal relationship with food and botanicals were enough to propel her toward a culinary career. She became the founder and owner of Berry & Thyme, a flourishing business in Sacramento that sells botanically infused fruit preserves.
Found in community staples such as Midtown Farmers Market and Temple Coffee Roasters, Berry & Thyme offers a multitude of infused flavors: pineapple and habanero, strawberry and lavender, and guava and basil. Burrise wanted to create flavors that reflected her floral personality and incorporated seasonal fruits.
“I love lavender and rose lattes. I’m a sucker for it. If you tell me something is infused with botanicals, I’m like, oh! So this really honed into that part of me that I already had. It felt very second nature to be doing something like this.”
Burrise’s journey of preserves began while living with her partner in Portland, Oregon. Exposed to the city’s prominent food culture, Burrise was inspired to take culinary risks beyond fast food chains and explore fine dining and local restaurants in different neighborhoods.
“Portland opened my eyes to just how much talent, uniqueness, and exquisiteness are in the food industry,” she said.
After returning to Sacramento, Burrise had a new outlook on food. From the precision of measuring pH levels in fruits to the technicalities of sterilizing jars, Burrise began her self-taught journey into the art of preserves. She then expanded her skills after taking a class from a chef named Camilla Wynne, who taught her how to make marmalade, jam, and other preservatives.
In the end, Burrise unlocked a gift of creating natural comfort and nostalgia in the form of fruity and spiced jams, hoping they would reach community members as they did to her.
“I love the smell of flowers and consuming edibles like lavender, rose, and chamomile. Whenever I use these spices and flowers, it takes me back to my childhood. It reminds me of walking into my house and smelling these ingredients while my parents cooked. It brings me comfort,” she said.
April 2024 marked a new chapter in Burrise’s entrepreneurship journey. After running Berry & Thyme as a home-based business for over three years, she decided to move into a commercial kitchen. In preparation for this transition, Burrise launched a crowdfunding campaign to expand the business’s inventory, hire staff, and resume wholesale operations.
“Folks of Sacramento have shown me so much love throughout this whole process. It’s been a rewarding and beautiful journey to connect with the community,” Burrise said.
Starting a business has its challenges, but Burrise encourages entrepreneurs to trust themselves and the process.
“It’s okay to start over, even if you’re starting over with the same passion, again and again. It’s okay to completely change gears if that’s what you’re being drawn to do,” Burrise said. “Trust that it will all work out, and if it doesn’t, try again.”
Photo: Morgan Potter Photography