Family recipe, tradition turns into business

Joanne Kelsey holds fond memories of summers spent in Antioch at her grandparent's cottage. She'd fish, work in the vegetable garden and help make spicy pepper sauce.

Over the years, Kelsey continued to grow her own peppers and make the family giardiniera recipe. She often made jars for friends, who suggested she sell the tasty Italian condiment of pickled vegetables.

With retirement just a few years away, Kelsey decided she'd give it a shot. It took quite some time for Kelsey to find the right bottler to make the recipe exactly how she insisted it be. E Formella & Sons of Woodridge now bottles the sauce, called Papa's Peppers.

While developing the label for the product, Kelsey thought it would be appropriate to adorn the bottles with a picture of her grandfather, who recently turned 100.

"He thinks he's famous because his face is on the logo," Kelsey said with a laugh. Her grandfather, John Vespa, has turned Antioch into his permanent home, where he continues to grow peppers. Once owning an accordion repair shop in Chicago, Vespa is still active and can often be seen riding his scooter up and down the streets of his neighborhood.

Kelsey, with the help of her husband, Don, have been selling the blend of peppers, carrots, olives, cauliflower and eggplant mixed with oil, spices and "lots of garlic" at the Downers Grove farmer's market on Saturdays.

The product, which comes in mild or hot, is also sold at The Little Gourmet and the Roselle Deli, both in Roselle. The Olive Tap in Downers Grove sells Papa's Peppers as well as the Piggly Wiggly grocery stores in Antioch and Zion. A 16-ounce jar sells for about $6.

Kelsey, who resides in Bloomingdale, also sells the blend in bulk to restaurants and catering companies including Elena Catering in Roselle and Taylor Made in Chicago.

Kelsey, who works full time as a clerk for UPS, says her next goal is to get the peppers onto the shelves of Whole Foods and then Trader Joes. "It's all natural and has no preservatives," she added.

Sales have been strong so far, said Kelsey, 58. "We do sampling and when people try it, they buy it."

For more information, call (630) 893-2176.

• Kim Mikus' columns run Tuesday through Friday. She welcomes comments at (847) 427-4567 or kmikus@dailyherald.com.