By Pat Doody
staff writer
A Taste of Tehachapi: an adventure in flavor
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Diana Wade started canning years ago when she was living near Lake Isabella. It wasn’t long before she began entering her creations in competitions. She won her first blue ribbon at Whiskey Flat Days in Kernville in 2008 and has never looked back.
In 2011, Diana and her husband Doug bought a home in Tehachapi that had a kitchen perfect for her hobby. She began experimenting with new flavors and combinations in preserves, salts and rubs. She created gifts for friends and donated items for raffle baskets. It was soon obvious that she needed to turn her craft into a serious business. With that, A Taste of Tehachapi was born.
In 2022, Diana applied to the Kern County Health Department for a Class B Cottage Kitchen Permit. This would allow her to sell commercially and to individuals as A Taste of Tehachapi. Her first event was Octoberfest at Dorner Family Vineyard, followed by the Dorner German Market in December.
During December, A Taste of Tehachapi featured Cranberry Christmas Jam to be followed by Meyer Lemon and Mandarin Orange Marmalade for February. Other citrus to be found in A Taste of Tehachapi products at this time of year are Cara Cara oranges and Pomelos (a relative of the grapefruit). Strawberry is available from January to June. As much as possible, Diana tries to buy her ingredients locally from such places as Murray Farms and farmers markets.
New products are being developed constantly. Recently introduced is a chai tea mix (which is also a wonderful flavoring for scones) and an Asian tea rub. Diana Wade specializes in small batch recipes of rubs, marinades, infused salts, preserves and teas. Next to be added to the Taste of Tehachapi line-up is baked goods, featuring items like scones, drop biscuits, quick bread and brownies. For Valentine’s Day she made heart-shape scones with jam.
Future events on the schedule for A Taste of Tehachapi are a Stallion Springs craft show on March 25 and the Cub Lake Arts and Crafts event on April 22. In the meantime, you can check out A Taste of Tehachapi on Facebook or contact Diana Wade at (661) 557-2589.
