Gino De Schrijver, founder of Eat This, is a lucky man. He runs a company that focuses on his culinary talents while supporting his other professional role as a volunteer firefighter.
The fire company he lends his services to, Delaware Valley Volunteer Fire Company, is also the headquarters for his artisan culinary product company, Eat This. Raised in a culinary atmosphere where his dad was a chef, the Belgian-born De Schrijver started honing his talents in the industry at a young age.
When De Schrijver found his way to Erwinna, Pennsylvania, his first position between the two current ones was as a volunteer firefighter with the Delaware Valley Volunteer Fire Company. In November 2011, after creating many a delicious jam and marmalade concoction at home, he decided to create Eat This. But, there was more to the creation of Eat This than the sole goal of selling artisan goods at farmers’ markets and online. De Schrijver wanted to benefit the Delaware Valley Volunteer Fire Company, where he put much of his energy, time and commitment. At that time, a deal was struck. De Schrijver would use the firehouse kitchen for his Eat This operations and, in return, 5% of all sale proceeds would go directly to the fire company. It was a win-win situation for both parties.
Today, De Schrijver is kept busy seven days a week, in between working all aspects of the company and being on call for the fire company. Eat This products are available via a variety of avenues: wholesale, retail and at the Stockton Market in Stockton, New Jersey, on Saturdays and Sundays. The product selection is wide and varied, ranging from a spicy and multi-layered bacon marmalade to a brioche bread pudding and beyond. Adding seasonal items to an already-expansive list of year-round favorites, Eat This offers plenty of choices for those who crave products created from locally sourced ingredients.
I had the opportunity to sample two products: the bacon marmalade and the spiced caramel pear jam, the latter of which is one of their seasonal products. There are so many ways to use the jams and marmalades, from serving them as part of a charcuterie plate to including them in your favorite recipe as a glaze or as one of the main ingredients. I opted to try them in a cheese plate sampling, and both were true winners when paired with a spicy pepper jack cheese.
In addition to jams and marmalades, Eat This produces hot sauce (which is a bacon marmalade with chipotle combination), lemon olive oil cake in a jar, organic bone broth, caramelized balsamic onions and other creative offerings. Looking to purchase a gift for a gourmet food lover? Eat This offers gift selections, such as a trio of jams and marmalades in a rustic wood crate.
Eat This is the perfect example of what a successful artisan food company should be—carefully handcrafted culinary products, sold with a charitable goal in mind.
Check out this Bucks County culinary company online or visit their vendor table at the Stockton Market on Saturdays and Sundays. Once you have a taste of Eat This, you are going to fill your shelves with these culinary items.
- Photos: Kristen Kwiatkowski
