Geography Blog Challenge Part 2 winner is...

PansPantry! And what a lovely shop to be the winner! A shop filled with nostalgic jams and jellies, PansPantry is a delightful mix of comforting classic and unorthodox yet intriguing flavors. Strawberry, rose, sage, pomegranate, peach, hibiscus, green tea, it's all there! And sprinkled in are some wonderful works of photography as well. Needless to say, in my opinion this is a most deserving shop of a little more attention. Jam anyone?

1. Your shop is filled with such unique and yet tantalizing flavors of jelly and preservatives. Where do you get inspiration for such originality? The flavors of which I'm most proud are the ones that utilize the artistic side of my brain. I have a degree in art, but I find my tastebuds to be a better tool than my eyes. Design comes into play, just the same as it does for an artist. Sure there are "normal" flavors that I've just expanded upon in my own way, but when I make something up that really works, like my Drunken Peach Preserves, it's the same kind of pride an artist feels when they've translated their thoughts into visual art. Mine is just art for the tongue. 2. How long have you been making jams, jellies, and preservatives? I grew up on a farm in Central Texas. We had to make jams to preserve the fruit that our trees produced. It wasn't very much fun then. Sometimes we were faced with a lot of fruit and we didn't use an air conditioner in those hot months. It wasn't "do this for fun" -- it was "do this quickly before the fruit goes bad." It was hard work, but it taught me a lot. Then in 1994, when my husband was attending graduate school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, I got the idea to supplement our meager income with selling jam. Our best friend, Melissa Barrington, worked with us, and another artist modeled for the label, a few other artists helped from time to time. Melissa was a great artist and did the labels you see today, although she has since passed away. It's nice to have her working with me still in that way. Anyway, our little collective made a bit of money, then disbanded. I reawakened Pan's Pantry just a couple of years ago in Shreveport, Louisiana, US where I live today. 3. What is your favorite aspect of your craft? I like playing with new flavors. I like to try new things. I work until I get it just right, then I may (or may not) have a new product. I also like selling them at the farmers' market. It brings out the carny in my personality that I never knew was there before. I feel like a circus barker -- "ladies and gentlemen, step right up and taste the best jam you've ever put in your mouth!" 4. Favorite flower? Definitely, my favorite flower for making jam out of is honeysuckle. I just started making it this year and it was fantastic. Next year, I'll pick many, many more blossoms. It's all gone for this season, but I'm already planning next year's batch. (But just for their beauty, I love orchids. For smell, I love the lowly carnation.) 5. Are you experimenting with any new flavors? Can you give us a hint? I am still in the perfecting stages of a coffee-flavored marmalade. It tastes good, but the texture isn't right yet. And look for a Red Onion Jam coming soon. I always have something going on in my head. And it's not really new, but fig season is about to happen here, so I'll be making some of my own personal favorites again soon. 6. Final thoughts.... I am torn between keeping my company small and letting it grow. I am about to have to move into a commercial kitchen to continue to meet the state's regulations. I will miss the ease of making jam as the mood strikes me, but I guess it's time to take it to the next level. I will, however, never let it get so large that I can't put good thoughts and positive regard in every jar. I won't make it when I'm in a bad mood because I honestly believe I will transfer those feelings to the customer. I just want to continue to make delicious jellies that make people think twice or maybe giggle a little as it touches their tongues.