We started Hestia's Hearth in 2004 with a collection of family recipes, a love of cooking and the desire to make life a little easier for busy people everywhere. Our first cookbook, I Want My Dinner Now! - Simple Meals for Busy Cooks, found a place on the shelf of both first time cooks and busy families. One thing led to another, and Renee found herself in demand; teaching heart healthy and other nutrition classes, speaking to numerous groups about eating healthy, and offering individual coaching and consulting nutrition services. She has also been busy writing and publishing several fast and healthy cookbooks, and with the launch of Wine Barrel Gourmet, which offers healthy, delicious soup, pasta and bread mixes, flavored with wine, herbs and spices instead of salt, that you can make quickly at home.

Wine Barrel Gourmet is truly is family operation. Our founder, Renee Pottle, started the company following careers in teaching and business. Her degrees in Medical Laboratory Technology and Home Economics/Business, and her experience as a recipe developer for Pillsbury Fast and Healthy Magazine, were a natural incubator for a career in specialty foods. A family history of heart disease sent her on a quest to provide healthy food that tastes good too! She can be found at the computer working on her newest book, in the kitchen creating a new recipe, at the manufacturing site assembling soup and pasta mixes, or she may be the voice on the other end of the line when you place your order.

Husband Steve has a firm handle on the financial, control, and accounting aspects of the business. He also can be found in the shipping department, setting up and serving samples at shows, and assembling mixes.

Daughter-in-law Amanda manages several of our commercial accounts, helps out with public speaking events, and may be the voice you hear when placing a phone order.

Grown sons, Adam and Trevor, while pursuing their own careers, are always willing to deliver orders, spread the word, and critique new products.

The last few years have been exciting for Hestia's Hearth. Join us as we move forward with the launch of new Wine Barrel Gourmet products. Look for additional healthy cookbooks, healthy, wine-flavored soups and pasta mixes and whole grain bread mixes coming soon.