The California Jam Queen Suzanne McLean is a maker of jams and marmalades from Scotts Valley, California. Her products are known for their international acclaim and are made with local, organic, or unsprayed fruit.
"I came by my profession naturally. I was influenced by a long line of family traditions. My Grandma Hope, Aunt LaVerne, and Grandmother Grace have all played a role in igniting my love for preserving. Along my travels from Washington to Oregon, I've made jam from local fruits like huckleberries, raspberries, and Marionberries.
After retiring, a dear friend asked if I could do something with her excess citrus, and that lead to marmalades. I happened to see an online notice about the World Marmalade Awards in England, saying that every jar entered would get comments from the judges. I thought "who better to give me feedback” and sent over a jar of LGBT and got a Bronze Award! Since then I’ve received several more Bronzes and two Silver awards. So gratifying.
A fortunate encounter then led me to start many years of wonderful collaboration with HGP! I was particularly happy to do this as I so appreciate the effective work that this organization does for our homeless neighbors!"
