Meet James Burden and Jazu Stine.
These are the boys behind Red Apple Butchers- a nose to tail butcher shop that sources pasture-raised animals from local farmers in and around Berkshire County. They provide customers access to the highest quality meats at their peak freshness as well as offer knowledgeable service and skilled custom cutting.
James:
James was born in New England, and grew up in Massachusetts. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard and received an honorable discharge. He has spent most of his professional career traveling and working under many different chefs, for various inns, restaurants, catering and production companies. A common theme through his journey was attention to detail and craftsmanship and the respect of quality driven product. He is working on food education, revitalizing old practices of artisan cooking to enabling more people to eat properly and well.
Jazu:
Jazu’s first exposure to real food was at home, his parents were early adopters of the natural food movement with a large garden and a chicken coop. Always “consumed and obsessed with producing things in my hands,” he graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in sculpture (after trying a stint in civil engineering). He spent three years in New York City pursuing an art career, and started cooking to keep his hands occupied. Even though he was adamant that he would “never cook professionally,” shortly after moving to the Berkshires he became a chef. When he realized that behind the line at a restaurant was not his place in food, an opportunity to enter the world of butchery arose. He found himself in the middle of engineering, sculpture and real food.
Red Apple Butchers often teams up with The Inn at Stockbridge (and are teaming up and sharing a booth at the Handmade Holiday Festival). The Inn is a 1906 Georgian style mansion owned and operated by Lisa Morehouse and Jeff Bell. The Inn was transformed with a restoration in 1982. In 1997, the Cottage House was built, followed by the Barn in 2001.
Today, the Main House remains the centerpiece of this little slice of heaven in the Berkshires, where guests can enjoy all of our wonderful amenities, including a wine and cheese reception held at 4:30 pm daily, library filled with the classics and a turntable complete with Lisa’s extensive record collection, sun-filled game and media room, and dining room, filled with the smells of fresh-baked cookies and snacks.
Come shop local and handmade with James, Jazu, Lisa and Jeff at the Handmade Holiday Festival on December 6+7 at BCC’s Paterson Field House.
