Bring home a little taste of Italy with this fabulous Spicy Sundried Tomato Basil Salad Dressing by Rootham's Gourmet Preserves. Liven up your pasta salad or pour over steamed vegetables. It's made with big pieces of sundried tomatoes, loads of garlic and a special blend of herbs and spices. You can easily use "as is" or you can mix it with fine olive oil. As an alternative, add to it to cooked chicken, fish or pork to add "a little excitement to your meal"!

Rootham Gourmet Preserves started in a farm summer kitchen in Fergus, Ontario, Canada in 1983.  Marilyn Rootham planted a large acre garden that flourished. With all the excess produce harvested, she started canning.  She developed recipes and tried various combinations to develop original products and many variations of similar items were produced.  Her canning efforts had become so successful that soon, hundreds of boxes of canned products were stacked in her kitchen (and anywhere a spare place existed to stack jars.

A short time later, Marilyn’s sister-in-law came to visit and asked Marilyn what she was going to do with all the jars.  Marilyn had no idea as the volume was more than their family could consume.  Marilyn’s sister-in-law offered to sell the products from her store.  Hand written labels were quickly produced.  A number of other local shopkeepers were contacted and asked if they were interested in offering the homemade products in their stores.  The response was overwhelming.  In almost no time, every jar had been sold.   A new business was officially born!

Since those humble beginnings, Production and Sales have continued to grow.  New products were steadily introduced over the years that followed to the point where Rootham’s Gourmet Preserves now offers one of the most extensive collections of gourmet and specialty condiments in Canada.  Marilyn’s goal continues to be a provider of gourmet products that customers enjoy.   She strives to provide her customers a gourmet cooking taste easily that will be thoroughly enjoyed.   She looks forward to a future of continued expansion and development of exciting new products.