SAN ANTONIO — Each batch of Brushfire Farms jams starts with the hottest peppers, dried and smoked until they can break in your hands.
“I’m really trying to revolve everything around the chile pequin because really no one is doing it," owner James Vives said. "And that’s the foundation of our jam."
Brushfire Farms uses only the freshest south Texas fruits, all picked by hand.
“I’m trying to do it, do it. Farm to table, pepper to plate. It's unique in itself that I’m actually sourcing everything from south Texas," Vives said.
However, it wasn’t always about pepper jam for Vives.
He thanks his first career as a "landman" for his start in the jam business.
“I had started making this stuff years ago, and enough people started asking for it, and the demand kept growing, that I decided to make a go of it,” Vives said.
But he thanks his mom for his love of cooking
“So she gave me the recipe, and I started incorporating different peppers into it," Vives said.
Now with each jar, he’s looking to change the way you think about jam.
“If you want a left-field PBJ, brushing it on salmon, scallops, barbecue really on anything," Vives said. "I’m just trying to make it the 'end all be all' condiment."
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