A local family has launched a specialty foods company called Pappy’s Gourmet.

Carrie Freese, a 2000 Washington High School graduate, along with her parents, started the business in January and are getting their products into stores.

The signature item for the company is zucchini relish, which Freese’s mother, Cheryl Rutz, has been making for years.

“For the past 15 years she’s made this zucchini relish that everyone has raved about,” Freese said. “So we decided to start with that.”

Freese said she and her father, Joe Rutz, came up with the idea for Pappy’s Gourmet after she quit her job as a product manager at an IT accessories company to spend more time with her son.

Freese admits her mother wasn’t as quick to warm to the idea.

“It did take some convincing to let us put her name on (the product) and to use her recipes,” she said.

Freese’s mother is actually the “Pappy” in Pappy’s Gourmet. It’s what her grandchildren call her although no one is sure why.

Freese and her parents have already expanded to making pepper jellies, including blackberry habanero, medium green pepper, raspberry jalapeno and sweet green pepper jellies.

Soon, they will expand to salsas and other gourmet foods and hope to add a new product each month or two.

The family’s relish and jellies are unique for several reasons.

“They are all natural,” Freese said. “So they don’t have any preservatives or food colorings like you’ll see out there.”

Additionally, the company is a member of AgriMissouri, which supports products that are grown, raised or processed within the state of Missouri.

“We are very excited to be a part of AgriMissouri,” Freese said. “A lot of people are interested in buying locally made food products and we plan to utilize as much of the local produce as possible. You’re going to get a better product that way.”

Freese describes the taste of the zucchini relish as tangy and crisp.

“A lot of people are scared, because they’ve never tried pepper jellies or zucchini relish,” Freese said. “It’s delicious. It’s very refreshing.”

The relish can be used for brats or hot dogs, deviled eggs, tuna or chicken salad, or can be eaten plain. Freese provides recipes that use the relish and jellies online at www.pappysgourmet.com.

Due to the requirements for making their own  jellies, the family decided it would be better to go with a co-packer, who is certified to make the recipes.

In the next year, they hope to do what it takes to get a location in Washington and start making their own product.

Currently, Pappy’s Gourmet products can be found in two Washington stores, with a third on the way.

I.B. Nuts and Fruit Too as well as Josie’s Old and New carry the delicacies. Main Street Gourmet also will when it officially opens later this month. For a complete listing of the 32 vendors in Missouri, visit the Web site.

Products can also be ordered online and shipped to customers.

For  more information, visit www.pappysgourmet.com.

Area residents will be able to taste some of the products at the upcoming Washington Fall Festival of the Arts and Crafts in Downtown Washington Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 25-26.