Jeff and Tom met while working for a high-tech company in the Boston area. Tired of working in the corporate world, the pair knew they wanted to start a business together.

The trouble was deciding what kind of business. One day last November when they were sitting in Prescott Park in Portsmouth, NH drinking coffee, Tom looked at Jeff and said 'Let's make our own marinara sauce." Jeff's first reaction was "that's nuts," but after 10 minutes and a few more sips of coffee he said " Lets go for it!"

The next day, they were doing research including everything from investigating the market, to developing and testing recipes, and learning about Food and Drug Administration standards and health codes.

The result is a line of salsas that range from the spicy Four Pepper to the sweet tanginess of the Cranberry Salsa. Each with its own distinct taste and texture There is also an Appledore Cove line of jams and jellies that includes flavors from a classic Wild Blueberry to the unique Spiced Tomato. The pair challenge themselves to get into a test kitchen until they come up with a product they love.

Their goal was to debut their product line at Market Square Day 2002 but getting the entire product line out in time for Market Square Day meant staying up until 5 a.m. the morning of the fair to finish labeling their jars and packing their rented van.

Both Jeff and Tom agreed that it was worth it, though, selling 18 cases that day from a booth on Congress Street. At the Bow Street Fair, they sold even more, running out of products at their booth. Forced to rush to their homes to get more and label jars on the spot, they sold out their entire inventory before the day was over.

All of the actual production takes place in the kitchen at Belle Peppers on Congress Street in Portsmouth. Working after the restaurant closes, the men spend several days a week cooking and the rest is on the road, marketing and delivering Appledore Cove products. Appledore Cove products may be found in over 70 stores.

Although this is only the beginning for this duo they are dedicated to using the finest and freshest local ingredients and growing their company locally. Thanks for visiting Appledore Cove.

"We're not saving the world… we're just trying to make it a bit tastier,"

Jeff Garstka and Tom Gorski