Micks Peppourri challenges pepper jelly's appetizer-only reputation

YAKIMA, Wash. -- About 30 years ago, pepper jelly was exclusively a Christmas thing -- there was a green one and a red one, and you served it on cream cheese with crackers. Then you put the jar back in the cupboard until next Christmas.

Of course, that was before Ginger and Walt Mick started Micks Peppourri -- and changed everything.

The Yakima-based business is still run out of the Mick family home in West Valley, with boxes of jellies lining the walls of a room that had formerly served as a preschool and kindergarten for area students.

The couple started the company in 1982 after Walt retired as principal of Wide Hollow Elementary School in West Valley. Walt died in May, but the company is still run by Ginger, now 84, and sons Rod, 63, and Tadd Mick, 47.

"We like to say we were against Mom and Dad starting this business as a retirement project," Tadd said. "But now we work here."

"The jelly has been very good to us," Rod said.

Micks Peppourri sells more than 30 flavors of jelly and uses at least 7 tons of peppers a year, Ginger said. Sales are primarily online and at the Micks Peppourri store in Pike Place Market in Seattle, where the company sells about 50,000 jars of jelly a year. They also travel to craft and food shows and have a booth weekly at the Yakima Farmers Market. Jars start at $7.50.

The idea to use the jelly beyond its cream cheese and crackers foundation didn't come from Walt and Ginger, Tadd said. Instead, the idea came from a wholesaler who suggested using the product as a glaze on meats, allowing the business to sell its product year-round.

That was 27 years ago, and Micks is now used in kitchens around the globe on seafood, especially salmon, meats and vegetables, Tadd said.

Ginger recently took an order for jelly to be sent to the U.S. Embassy in Jordan. Micks Peppourri has also graced tables in Paris and Australia, among others. They even have their own restaurant -- Market Grill in Pike Place Market. The company bought the grill in 1996 as a way to expand their business and introduce new customers to the product.

As a glaze, Tadd recommends just brushing the jelly onto a piece of meat during the last few minutes of cooking. The easiest thing is just to use the back of a fork.

"You don't want to put it on too early, because it will kind of melt off," Tadd said.

While peppers are the base ingredient in the jellies, not all of Micks Peppourri is spicy. Jellies come in a heat range of 1 through 10, from mild cranberry, raspberry or garlic jellies to the super hot Buzztail's Ghost Pepper Jelly, made from the hottest peppers on earth -- even too hot for the owner.

"I can't taste the hottest," Ginger said.

For meats, the Micks use their traditional red hot flavor, which is made from jalapenos but isn't really hot. It also works well as an alternative to cocktail sauce with grilled shrimp.

Several years ago, the company put together a cookbook for Micks Peppourri, which featured recipes for soups, dips, appetizers, breads, main dishes, even vegetarian entrees.

"The point being, it's good on everything," Rod said.

The cookbook is currently out of print, but many recipes are available on the company website, www.micks.com.

Micks is often adding new flavors and getting rid of ones that didn't work well -- pomegranate and ginger are two of the newest flavors and they may experiment with a cilantro, Tadd said.

"We wanted something that would go with vegetables, for people who don't eat meat, like in stir fry," Rod said of the ginger flavor.

The family plans to phase out the horseradish and onion jellies And some flavors will never see the light of day.

"We've always been a pepper jelly company," Tadd said. "Dad made us promise never to make a mint jelly --because this is better on lamb than mint jelly."

When cooking with the jelly, Tadd says "a little goes a long ways," which makes it suitable for people with health concerns. The jelly has a high sugar content, but a serving is only a teaspoon and it has no fat, no salt and no cholesterol, Rod said.

Uses for pepper jelly

* Traditional hors d'ouevres: Pour any flavor of jelly over a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers or prawns.

* Spread garlic flavor on bread instead of butter

* A few minutes before serving, add any flavor to omelettes, casseroles or stir fry

* Salad dressing: Mix equal parts jelly, olive oil and vinegar

* Use on sandwiches instead of mayonnaise (try cranberry jelly on a turkey sandwich)

* Brush on store-bought rotisserie chicken to add flavor

* Use as a dip for fresh fruit, prawns or cheeses.

* For more Micks recipes or to share your favorite Micks memories, go to www.yakimaherald.com/blogs/appetite.

* Savannah Tranchell can be reached at 509--577-7752 or stranchell@yakimaherald.com